Skip to main content

Full text of "Moshe Idel: Studies in Kabbalah"

See other formats


nxmr^ win 1 ? np^aun 



□"rama'a mmmn nauman mw "irra n^yViax ^ miru? nx in^an 
ntrwa . jipwal? "[is nV nam •pTwa 1 ? mtrraxoi .rrmo&i numDD nnvn Kin 
ixnV na ana i^an^n trmrrm a^anm D'swiV'snw .anuno naa iaan it 
.rfmua 1 ? noxmrra? np^ao mraxD .rwx moann hutu 1 ? .mx^on nx 
-nmxn *?x — np^cran nxnp bn mnvo "pi n^Vo rrnn» it np^at? 
Vawn x^nw pan Vxn x^nu? "pa .nrrVy nw paV aixn Vu? i^aw pa mmn 
Vaa laxun d^93 nxwa it py» rpnna ixnw mrn rn aiaix .Vsnan 
tid 1 ? 1 ? px □"ran- ,, D' , a □•'aioiV^n myn -pno ,dVix ; n^Vx van 1 ? anxa 
mxn pa naTpn rvntpsx nx waoV iro nitmazn mpmo mx-nn Vu; pvp 
mno Vi? orpT&^m □"aain ,xto px amax n ^ arpJTH .^awn oViy 1 ? 
D ,l 7ia*' arx — anrnaa jvVx^txh rrmnn nx p'xon rniDn — "nxiaarr 
m?9in onxn» an .n9oa:in moan nDuun 1 ? rwp»» irr nxmn awrrrf? 
urnarft "'Va D3i "]x — pvo 1 ? ^a .n^xipon nxiaan ,p"imn ias?a nwpnrw 

.Drrnrrna man nvnn 1 ? yunVi mm 1 ? iwdx ■o — trmDM 
.nmn 1 m'uo'o nmoo naxnn xti maoa jpxb n^vViaxw inn 
mnoaa -pinw .mn 1 myn rmn Vu; □"jmnn vaixV .uatpxo vVx warn? 
.traann ^nnaa ip^a awn -raw ,rrf>trxai maoa rtaipa nrrntp n^ioi^an 
— min^ pnotp nvotr» mp^aaa omp»w mw tooiwj n^x mnoo^ 
dx .iraa 1 ? n^Dis ns?9^n aa 'Vixi nmnn mm .'ODmimx^nvn DTxaTnn 
nxn3 vanaa nwxa nnv rpsyViax r»T&bn ^anaa ip^a nuVia it *a 
rrayViax anma^na d'spdib utw 'dd .np^aon Vu? rpa^ana nx nV>nn 
np^aua mp'y pna ( Vxn mam x^n nma^na nu^ia .won Vwi 

.m xwna nnD3 pVm ,n^9i;Viax bw n^iaoxa nnnannw 



mnxiaai mmaT mna naaa pan xmw ■»» 'a pnaio vn ovaanno nam 
oonn i 1 ? w ,oina oxVa Vw mVa*na psnVi naanaa max 1 ? wpaawa 
•pxa umi^i rana pa iwxn mr .o^it dw msma atzw ;nMV 
laa mnoi va^aa psa pai rnumaa pw nmn mnawm mTiy 
nxm b^nb ^rno oaaa xin iVxa nain ni?aw m^n vrra nxin xmw 

.DIP WW na 

/naoaa nvmxi cVina 07109" nana pxa ^n n owa nnwxnn nxanaa 
srwib ; 5 x*nua^aa miw nrmx mxiap p "naoaa nvmx" "o ,naio mrxi "> 
nwiVw on "o^m o^Vna 07109" .nvmx a"i? ]a owa wia^wa fxa nana 
— nvmx o^nwi o^au? nnx Va cVoan ,xa-tr ,t mawaw 0710971 
naoa .*?xn mawa wia^V ,*nynfr ,nmwp n^wn nxaian oa ."naoaa nvmx" 
im onna" : 6 pxa *xn n owa aiw o^xmp nx ,->aina Vxw p jna n 1 ? -pnyn 
m^an cVVanai o'uwo pwiv vrw TinuiT m^nai "ran mVa^na wmaan 
caxVon mnawa n^n pxm mbo^na paixi nnaa pwanwai nnnoa 
"nnaa pwanwa" fpTxn ."Va^no a^aVi b^u nnx *?a>n i^m onai?aa 
'xn an bw Tyxn nn p .wmaan owa wia^w , 7 oiVw u y»asnw ''Da ,ii?awa 
xin oa ama />xn an nao npno vmrro nann axw nwx .^xaan iran ,pxa 
pan nxaiu nan Vaa psy ppooi cVVana" on ^ ^nnaV loaaaw caann 
mV^n , v 'izn nmV ^"ni^na pain maun pwanwa vm pnnuai pVauoi 
man nvrw . 9 "ow bv muwa — onna 1 ? no^a nyawaw — irpnV 
.paya mxTi iw sraxn^ onvon l0 o"nn naoa .nawx ■'Ton Vxx oa nwaia 

:m»wa poa ^iaw ^p^an 

rata xin b'ax ,au?na irx ix 'n mV^aaa a^nai nra onxu; xm nxia 
nan rmnV ix lain ib mxnnV na o^axban mau? ix owmpn rnatz; 

.n plD ,n^3pn ,VTX TO nxm .Geschichte der Kabbala, Leipzig 1852, I, p. 15, n. 22 

• G. Vajda, "Etudes sur Qirqisani", REJ 106 (1941-1945), p. 107, n. 2. 5 

.14 '72V ,N .D^H "jliy 6 

.54 'ny .nrooiwn 7 

.3 w y n 1 ^n na^n ^aa hpitb nx hki 8 

]q^d ,n^xna ^jivow oip^a nxann^ iton 1 ? nwm .a"s? t nran ,l 7na Vi? v/ u;i 9 

.n» 

HT VDp .K39 ^n ,431 fNp-'tn ; 334^1 , 1 574 TVIDODIN ''"D ;X19 ^1 .Add. 643 '3T13»|7 V 'D 10 

,85 'ay ,a ,iani nsix ,ipn tod -n 1 ? a^on ana isoa ,D">Vp o^ru?a r x"iiy px aiya xaio 
,p nxi nsonVy .Ki7i-ano «p ,756 n'onan nnscn v, aa xran nonan nx axin nt^K 

.■jV»ki 143 ,-non mm 



*7xn mau? V^; xaaan ••aixn (x 
msisan o^annn }a x^n mxooax 1 ? v^nb pna Vxn ma^ ix ou? nnaTn 
nin^aai ox^cxa ,p'a .oa^oa ,imna ni'nsan mp^aoa p'rn x^n .np'DO'oa 
oi'oa nnni pa mnnxV ; i^x mp^au ''unaa \mb ]xa oia^ x 1 ? .rpoanmmxn 
pi0i?3u? onu ^x ^n^ay^iax vnao "jina n^au? nam 1 ? jrinwn 1 ? na ,pnan 
ru^n 1 ? ^xn mawa ^law 1 ? o^nrrn ownpnn nx nxru ,n ,) Di7 l 7iax bv mowa 

: l naxa Tian mVa^n naoa naa .onxn nsnina nr^ 

iv^a^ai o^an nu; nmo 1 ? xmp n^n naana 1 ? nr 1 ? wpaa onxn n^nu? ]va 
pom^ ^onmo xnpa n^nw 'n 'K^oinoio o^ava n^v o^^i nxa 
lima^nn xmnpw VxnaD ^xnnnTi Vkhi3t ''x^^in^x naaiu ^x^anuiu 
ynr xVi o^aya nwi? o^^i nxa ^or x 1 ?^ ^xn^ ^n^x 'n pnnnxi 
myasxi mau; ( ! ) x^v va xVx ; iu?xna lan i?mji ix ^^oia n^n ox ; ona 

.naanaa dVwi mr* to .nD0*» nti?v o*»3u;i nxa i*»t 

: 2 it mnaoV ywn nnx naxaa iax cxmp nT yup 1 ? naina 

Va ]ai o"»03?d x"7 maow ny onaio vt msnxxi mau? xxrn vs 
x"7 niaow iv onaio rn*' niva^xi mow- x^v va it nnaa wanwan 
.wxna lan ^or ix nina'' oxu? mown p mna ,) x*?i cava 

.naanaa nai^n nnn'' 1 ? mwpn ,i?iap ;naa ir:aV 'a .CTva cyupn ^u? 
nnxa ama pxa "»xn r n .main o^anna wanwn 1 ? pnv nawan o^ix^n naipna 
nx] nmx wiv la^sx o^Tom o^pT naa vn oibn n^xw'pi" : 3 vmaiwna 
mno oipaa f o^nw xVi nwa o^Vaix xV .o^a 1 ' naa o^ynai [mown 
moi^n cxim caVi ,naoaa nrmxi o^it n*bm 0710a a^xmpi o^y^anai 

: 4,, xn an T^a nnnx naiwna ."nxiaa man o^aa 

ay 'ay ,n , manna Tia ^a^nom Vy np^ya ooiaa jxa xaian noiin .to pna 1 
□nann Vxn mau7 Vy .t pns ^ ,^nnan ma ,prV> V^x noim >d Vy D ll ?p □■'jipm 

.58-57 nnym ,363 ,56 7 ay .o-'ant nxn It npcaa 
yupV m yop ] s a n^apnn Vy ;a"y n *p ,x"onn d^wit ,naVu? naana .^VDia f w 2 

.ny nnyn ,ax 'ay ,x ,mu?nna ^na .na^nom nxn ^y*? i^xani^ 
nttc7 ^a noTan nx x^aa ."j^xi 54 'ay ( ronn a"3y omapnD .a^pt ayoa oani 3 
nxix ,p"7 oa nxm .104 'ay .n"ann p^na ^aiVsna nmrr nV hit nao ^iTsa nyaia 
,(7i2 nxiVis idin) 1805 V"Dra pnv vi v/ a ;x nnyn ,20 'ay ,x *, 11 'ay ,n .a^ixan 

.X4i ^n 

'x .35-33 mnyn ,50-49 'ay .cranT ,di^w 'a ; mawnn Vu; 14 'ay ,n .n^ixan nxix ^pb 4 
Beitrage zur :nxn .tt myap nx pa 1 : xV xnn n,x msis nyaun nraoV 'a ,nao pr^ 



rman (! ) TnpVi nynn ''Ton wonip* p na mpa 1 ? xVi *?an awa 1 ? rrn x 1 ? 
paV D^m^an ^aV nxaio aw noa wax 15 annax osax .naann ^Viaai 
niTny way nsp rtou "[dV .[hit nmay] ry *a Vy mrny "wt x 1 ? 
. 16 npT cay maann mn in*^ mawn 'paw mnam 'Q by mnaa "mm 

ik mrny nrT -jms^ omaTm Vxn mawa picvn "o .anaVa nTyVx n nan 
-|x .rwaVa ^aaa nTnon 1 ? ipp^a irax annaxu? .npTiy nmoaa nwam maain 
nnam" no^an ,D«ran"wa man ^aanV nyunu? ii? mnV Tina nnoa3 xm 
urnaaa nmaw — rpsvViaxtp ,nnaiyn mxV nnr»aa p^ya "mawn 'paiy 
pnn nx ,nwn nVap .nn^apa nixnb Tny — rVy it»Vx n Vu? myawna 
.nnaiyn xm iVx mxaiab *]nw» naaa .ivwn non nmoaa nnva npiayn 
ix nvbuioonxn — mVmn nvrran na^nn nwV pna incm p '•a 
mn nnx-'bx x^rra npinnw mapwn o'Kjnfc ux n*?x mxaiaa .nrwubaix^n 

."nrwaxtP" ]mx man 
mis ^ur nuna^a i"nV ^xn mawa lina'wn ^n maioVran nyam ay 
: l7 ^an naoa ama *pttV px pnr n .Vunn nymnn tan *?yaw man 

: jm I8 m^n *r» nim 1 ?^ VVia p^y no xm tp Vxn nwsa rn^n "o 
pan .pns mn xia^ ny na*?y3 nwm rrxiaj nwm mary natzm 
DW.Dn m^y ixaw laa .Van Vx rmwxi nao mrau mwn xm pwxnn 
T^y nyr nxa muna maioiVa mary n^n xm in □"omnn 

.20 myn ,28 'ay ,nnnn wan .Vrx nxn x"y xs *p pmnso ^aa ^ Vy 15 * 

.127-U8 'ay ,-non mm ,|i hki ny^x 7?ana ht nrp *?y 16 

nVnna ana3 ma^nn . 16 'as? . 1867 .i 1 ? yo ,pn^ ^dids pnx , -p- l ?y ddi: .ko pio 1 1 

.r^n nxan ^ n^^n rvxnnn 

■"'dd i73n^3 Tiia^n^ nana maia n'lxo yu 1 ? px myib nonoo n^apn 18 
i d .t»ti Kin nn 1 ? mn 1 o^yo n^ 1 ?^ Vy' "jTyx nnsn" : K98 , 107 .rronpxn — fro 

HDn n^x i3yan i^nyt^ D^yx n^i^n .n3iWKi nVy on 1 ? n n nnu; ^ao i^dx s kw .v^ya 
n^maa n^ina nVva td3 ana i^x D'xms D^a^sy lwinn'' nnb Trwb ^ p^mua umx 
nxT '3 nvn oyi .nnpioa nu?yaa unnnw na i^a vwdv j'TDa 13ku? naa n^nji ijtp 
.Vyisn yir nVnysn Tinav anaw nwa i^n «,n3iu7xin ]a nVm mv n^nn ruiurnn 
^ Vax .in^ya n^n n^^m imx^a nwa n3iwK"inu;a msVnna mai2?n m^nn nVixi 
TiVa xxaa Vaa naVy3n mnan mwn x^m na poy □"'Niaa 1 ? fxu? n ,, t2; , '7U? na\yn 
"l^a 'n 'man 'ax m^n u?Vu?n lVx 1 ? Tan nam ,nnx xVi xin imna tto na 1 ? xin P naV 
mai 1 ? n^^apa mm"? D"upy jxa d , idt3U7 a* > xm3n o^yan /nv\ nbwb ybw 'n ^Va 'n 
www mx , ?D3 , 7i a^osV — xo 1 } iTxai .xd^ ina ^mVxn fsnn ^y ^vb ]ax 
.Dimaa nu?a n ^aia ,-j^ana x^aau? nxaiaa ^mVxn p^yn pnn mysaxa 



xim nybim nan xinc? ,i3»a nuram i^y nVaa u?npn mi txi — mo 
taiy tx*i ; Viaob nbw na^xi ^pn rrn nya nvmai nayD3 , viate iaa 
yaw xVt nxn xVt ifcny xin mpa nrxa yiv irxi ^rno i^xa anxn 
nTai nxnm ptn xip3 nn ,ny»iu?i nxn mni273 ^ax iana wjn» xVi 

.mxiaan an p3yn 

tiwu? Twa T^ya ipn nu?a n ,n w nn idd ^ 'D^iaxn nana xnai^Q na 

: 11 nan np^au *?y D'on ana iddd 

□a^y o^jno ,D , »x ,, a3 DD^y nwv^ ,D^an t nyi n^on anV («. ) awt 
Tiam nVnano nott?3m f jnxnp o^nao d'ovdi o^npn maa^ nnatna 
nain ,np*»y nouran n^yai na^an ^aa nrna fx i^x^i yr^nan Van 
m»ab nnn .ramu? aurn na ljaa p^noa^a ,nytt? nnx 1 ? ny .pimoV 

.nVmaa nyia n"»n^ 

/■jdiji yiTyT ^mna mown mam "T^nna — it nx it maxm nrnyn 
p'n^ai — nunn man mis na mvoi D'tmna nmbno u?ain nx mnt^an 
dji nan nu?pna nnaT3 "nxiaan" *a .p^V nxnn p .nxiaa 1 ? nT ybnn Vi^a 

/ r nxia3 man" tW? laxanti? ,pxa ^xn n vnana 
xin Tan .oanna nTy^x h .a^nn nao bw ^'•aiaxn nanan bu? nn p 
main mx^n 1 ? x^anV nn?y nT una*^ .^xn nw maTna mww bv nww 
naoa nTyVx 'n nan i^xi .o w nn naoa nx pxi "»xn n nana mnawn nVx 1 ? 

: 12 naann 

'x p^a l4 iavy ^aa mxi mx ^ai ,nvmx n p nVx yrp l3 a v ax 
pnn.pi .n^ns n^bn 'n n^n^aa' "» .]nnnn 'a pnnn^a 'a pnnnx 

,T3Diyxi nsi^a D"3 , »an -"a^a D»nm nmnn jar* 'a nxn .84 'ay ,31 ,-tarn ixtx 11 

.102-103 'ay .dwt .m^ ; 124—123 'ay .rrawn a-»ax 

Joseph Dan, "The ; 57-44 'ay . DWy t p " HXT HT nia^n ^y .355 «|1 , 1812 nTlDDDIX v '3 12 

Ashkenazi Hasidic Gates of Wisdom", in: G. Nahon — Ch. Touati (eds.), Hommage 

.a Georges Vajda, Louvain 1980, pp. 183-189 

.^xn □■"tjo^a maw bv ma^n ^xna ]xa rnunsna nvmxn a"a p awn bv> vnvmx 13 
nn oama toVx nu? nx"i3i .o^a'an-wa o^aipa bv nyowm np^ny x'n ^ nuran 
,Vtx nxn im^aa xwnsn Vy .hditx"? it nwsn rmn oanw D'awnn mma^n inx 

.15-1 'ay ,dix maia noxban D^ny 
idd .na^n 1 ? ,nxi ; mta'nn rvraoa naa nnpa ,ia^y ^Da owa nvmxna nnx Va n^xi 14 
nn^Dn nyswm .n^y^ax Vy it hwdd nyD^n Vy .28 'ay .(-nx^x nna) muiT rn^an 

.(oiDia) nVapn rwrsn >tx 'a nxi .mTonm p"an by 



,m nnmanna anmana vn nwx D'X'aan "»a mnax n^T yirn pi 

11X3 ETpan □"'DTH ammawna VH1 ,pnn 'tP'X IXWa ,nawnaai nwyaa 

*?y mxnn 1 ? piaa *»nVxn jvbvn pnn mm an nvpaai nnnua a^aViy 
mV'xx nVap a^aipa vr\ ,Vmn law wnpV mx^aai a^oa amm 
a^aw* a^xsaaa crx^aa a^ya ^yaV a^winp maw naa waa p^y 

.ran "nawa 

nmn r^n nxan Vw mawn n^na: .anaVa oimaa nwa n Vw nVx mm 
myw ">dd .a^wnpn mawn n^y waan yawn nbnpb np-'aau moon nyim 
nurDn nx oai oimaa nwa n *?w inn ^aa iman .pram nxiaan by pnaa nxna 

.mayViax prion mVyw pran 
anaxan ba 1 ? namwa naian p mayVnx Vw np^aaon nx nnaaw ■'aa 5 ? 
mTnV xaanan Vyw ,mpna nvaiwV mrn^D Vxn mawa a^paiy on ^yVw 
bw 'nan rrrar -pis 1 ? awn *?w maoan nmaw ana mnya ; a^aya naa jm^y 
nx na^axan x*»n it nmaw .a'mw amp^ai a^aiTir n^y manwan .nimm 
naaa by "nvyna" mxnoia lama V>aa wnpn awn .maybiax bw inu^w 
.manbmaoi /^xa ma bvn ix .yn^a 'dix bun xin p aiwai .mbiyai abiyn 
nx bwb na ,mayVnx nynV ix .^nnran inaaa 1 ? nmwp maiann •'nw *»a 
a->aaa *?w nanx nmw maaVi m naaa onnV w mawn Vw xaaan nwian 
a* nanwa ,awn naaaa a^nn ana^wn na -pm ;nvmx =p T * 'T"Vy a^wnn 
mixa Vxn aw 'a , 25 maipa naaa mDyViax mya p .mwiaxn nymnn naaa 
vpva wana awn Vi? ^nu? *pT2?n i^nn ^a .n^an 1 ? raoi aixn ^w l^aaa 
. 26//! piu^rn -pavan mau;n»a" :nra nmxa aixn waa bnw yVnna 
^w laiwVa ix .nxiaaV van 1 ? ^axa *?xn man; D^a^» ira nra nxia 
."pnn mba?o ^x m 1 ?^ 1 ? a^o ^aw x^a aiz?a" — 27 rpsi?V]3x 
nana f anaa — anFa nmbvn nnpano ^aa nvmxn^ ^a 
p nnx ,anaa nV^nn niD^n nx "tothV" w .^xn maw aa p — 28 nawnQai 
nnaa rnjpDia anaa niDtrn nvnix ^sitx bv t\vmv .nawnDa ^oaVi na bvn 
^nxm ainam mm ^pm uvn npn" .ma^iax ^anaa m&ipa 

■I^ki 133 '»y .n'Dy^iax >tk nxi 24 
81-80 f mxn idd ; ki56 ,774 ono v, a ,mm nno "idd 25 

^IT^ n*li?aU70D "^-IXV" :D^D pntt?0 la^DV ;3157 -"jT ,774 D"HD V 'D ,mm nr»D 1DD 26 

.K21 ,291 Ip'UKT v 'D .JVy-in nnDTD 1DD 27 
.146-143 '»y .H-'DyVlDN .^TK 71X1 28 



naon nvn r\wn xin ^wn pan .nawxnn naon nVn anw owsan 
mxiaa nwn x*»m •'ami maia -ixin»n ows f ana rfrina it nawxin 
vmav mo narr mysoxa o^x^aan Vy *?xxan ^bxn yawn nau?m 
bmb pxur xti it nVi?»n .imoto 'D'ai ana lnx ^a nau;n ^a anaaan 
it nrr nwn x^n ^^wn pam .n^x oaa^if? pi nw ipnan 
rmrcnn mVan x^n in a-'aaa -ixinan .naVynn n^ana aVyan au?n 

.idw ''awinVi r n ,, xt' , 7 mnvV nmvn x^m anau? narVvm 

,rr»DiDi^Dn nooiaan t ma?aon manVnxTin xm nwnn Vw pwxm pan 
.Vrraai px nwan pa Tauyw xin "wn pan /npnan ^aan" bv anVna x'm 
nxiaa pa man iwpn ,^xn mawa p^ as? 19 man - pn ^nnn nx noTnn 
Vy Ti?a xim *}ivb px Vti? maipna Tiaoa jan xxr bxn mawa maaiann ]^b 
pan .ma^iax ^ vrnmpaa nnxa *\>ub jax 1 ? nv^nw f n^an bw mnn 
nDo^inaawnaw - ^inx a^ x^n nanan - a^an awn mwn xm ^wn 
ma^iax bv mmb p^ann . 20l ?xn Vw aVvan iawa ma^iax ^^x a^i ]vvn 
ma^a umnn aVvan awn man ^a .ma^iax a^ paxa t *\*ub taxa .mxa b™ 

:ama xm 21 py n^ix naoa .rrwnn 

mawn ^Van ]^aa?a 22J ?"T anaTan a^aann nao na?pa aina la^xiw na 
nnna inn ^aa Vaa x^aiai an ^ oanvn nbw annax n^Taw xin 
aVii?aw na Vaa nnv ana nna awnw anann anw nxiaaai naanai 
nn^iTa Vi?an ^vian Vx nan ja nx^a naa waan ma aana p Vyi waan 
.^ixw ra man mwaa b^nb nao x*nn nyrn mnm mwaa wnnm 

nVx nx a^annV o^y mawn -.bxn maw Vx maiw mwn wiVw w^ nT yupa 
man ana paDi mxaann n^ anx x^an 1 ? a^ioa an ,ammax nx arynvn 
- mw^n wibw Vw m anro .mwaan "wirn" n^-^y mx^an nx mawV 
nwa h .ran mayViaxw a^aipan aina a^p — maxam mxiaan ,nyn^an 
: 23 ama ,irabn n^nw ^aa vbv mya may^iaxw ,oimaa pyaw p 

n-ro hni ranm ]isnn paw nnnn xu;iaa n^ 1 ? p« Vi? Vrraa lax in^D^n »?y 19 
f a-in /'KiTy px dtok!? onvon D'own nyu? idd nana nVxu? 1 ?" .^DaVrnVn 

.74 mym 291-290 '»y ,(rau?n) 
.356 '»» ,nVapn mVnnn nxn 20 
.34 myn ,h pns ,ppV hkt ^nxiaai naann ,mur ^y ;Ni49 ^ ,1580 mDoaw ""'a 21 
]ua ananan p tor onw "n napn !□ x-'ain: n ,Vxya^ nanan 22 
,xi48 «p ,iu;ana tdod n^yVnaxu? 'sa /'xayy m nvmxi rnan iddt rvton 712 

' .56 'ay ,(T r ^n) n pain 'a n*-Vy oaia nvmx a"a p witd 23 



"lujxa mm .pry-i Vu 1 ?^ pron Via'pa nna ^jdo nynn ano nrm nray 
Vx uoo noan mn ypa ran ny .mVxwm vbx nwn my .urpan 
Kim ,mo ^ n^n .mc mVxun .mx ,V? *w *?x ^"in p nnxi .maTyn 
ami? mann p nnxi .naw^ nnoxo ,irya xm iwxa ,my rwnw 
Vx xim m *ps p nnxT .noan moiVyn irn aVxun a:i"5n asnxi 
^ mn 1 3"3i xim □'•nVx *p2? 3"nx ,ipVn nb>y xm oa ,awn Vrian hip 
mx^D ana; a^yn a^on mxVso xsom anyanx aian p nnxi nn 

.noan 

*pxV jpi .DH&V 13X203 rm py nrtX "1300 lOXOnOI HT 172X1372 

it nViya .nnx aw rnrmx *DiTxa pVwV p inxi a^oo aw Vw nrmx 
ump aw nrmx pa naann Vw nwyo — "naaio nwyo" awa may^nx mao 
iaoa .nvrsoa m^T nVap v r I 7 x*>aon nwyo ,nnx ump aw nrmxV inx 
.D^Yntzw wwn ^mson wmDon awa pianonv lO'xmp 13X ,75 'oy ,mxn 
nnm pwm nnowm ia now ^xn^V nVra trnn -iwx a^aan 
mm hip Vx mm numnmxm awa awn nx urm Va aVa nannn nrmm 
mm — Trx — mm : 35 awa aw naann on ^wn awm pwxm awn ."mxas 

.mm — 

Vxn mow nrmx *pmx (a 
,nrmx 3"y p aw : on amnrmx nx *pxV nana mayVoxw wmpn mow ^w 
-unaw .wmaon awm ,xan aViyn "n "isoa np^ya a^yaio rarrs "'Diaw 

.Vawn mx laoa ip^ya a^yano vdits 
maonno mVxw mxn nmya nomo Vawn mx laoa ^i^n 
,n"x , v 'x id^sitx nraix D'Vapno it p*D .wmDDn own nrmxo nnx 
won Vi? DDinon mp^n nrm^DX Vd ^dV mpnao mmn^no nnx Vd .n /r x ,rx 
pi ,x"n mron ^dVi n"x mon ,pmpi nms ,pn'n ,pp .oVin -.mnan 
.Dnpnaa D , 'Di"i^ D'won nVm nnx ^u? .mxtao i;nnx m^apna p .nx^n 

.181-179 'Di7 .H-'DrVlDK ,^TX PINT 682 = "DM DU?" = "HZD-ID n^VD" 35 

idd du?d .D^ion d hd iinV pnnn X95 =]i ,233 jp^oin v/ d .Vd^h idd 36 

,io pro v/ d .dti^n iddd nsTDion hVduh nx nxT nQiy 1 ? rmwn .np^n 
'sits n^DuV nam .biwn iddd^ itd mrna nosa niwn .diso-t D149-K149 
"iddtd nmx cdth nu;x ,229 ,222 r DV ^p^au , v xid ^xx d^ nysio i3DDin^ nvrnxn 
nj?Din .VDu?n mx iddd o^inn diid iDonu? VDpn npo Vi? v 2fiD .Vd^h nx 
P.C. Miller "In Praise of nxn ; npvwn n^xjxDn h^xdd nx^D3 msnan 'ditx nan 



'T2 DiD^pm n^*' 1 ? mxn nlaw :TVd 30 pm* w idd nanoi ; 29 "mD^n 

/"mmDix Vy m'am 
u?^ d^dio rv23 bbv xim nnv nam pica — xorran — won 
,-nD32 ixmn it nVii?D .pnp^i nvmxn nx i^ 1 ? xaanon ^y (x) : iidjd onm*? 
nximu? '3D ,mo^3 Vw piap asp by mo^V v^y (a) .nxiaam ppjn pnsa 
it n^iyD .nixoiaon nrmxn mp^ axnna iwxn nx y^y^ 1 ? v>y 0) .fin 1 ? 
nx a^nm my p Vyi .anxn Vw 'o^sn naaoa piann 1 ? v^y n) ixmn 

.mann 

^nxa 'a lyi" — naumoa own nvmx «iims nx Vbna ^^wn aV^n 
Vawn Vj^jon ^au? iVa xmw qiisn D"y nVo mVmV aVa n^y:n *»nawnD 
: 32 n3^ py isix isoa xsoa a^u? 1 ? aVwo layon Vu; isp mx^n . 31ff T?v 

^i^nn xsoin anaoa-mw no 'sa nVnn vm ros nrmx nnpV -jns 
namn Vxt int^ Vx Dp^nyn aons ay naon ]D onp' p nnxi ,DDmn 
laV Vx ap^nyi n^mso vso onp' p nnxi ,na ^y aymw iy aa 
.□no nai 13V ixw x^w ny mv xmw }wV Vaa nvw no panV myn 

,"mmtr bv ybnn mnaiy ^xn nw nvmx inoaan Vw pnaio "pVnn ir^D 1 ? 
prpu? .nvVau; nrmx 1 ? ,b3wb pno imx^sow .nwamo nvmxo psirra? 
"Vy ,iwdx p .m^awioa idiot mwnnna imwxnw ,^awn p^a ybnn mT .a^a 
:mann ^u; mra nma^n n^yoV mrf? .anwon nun^a nrmxn ^jrrs *»t 
Fni yan 1 ? x^aab m^Dxo it np^ao *a nmon ,mxaio noa x^aa .nxiaan 
: 33 ama .mD^iax ^w nn p ,nVino ^ax px noVw p pnr n .nnro ^nri 
nwo rwn nrmx ^rrsai [mnx nt^x n^nx] nTn pioan n^apa *o yimn jor' 
/'DTOom mmxn umna nonn n^yom ,noann mwn mban n^y iran 

: 34 ^D3n naoa nnrs nmsa "ixino noamn mtpn T^nn 

mnm TDTis ^aa ^anom mm xim rraV nV^nn awn m tpxb Vnm 
"imxna ax 'a inrran ^xt ,n^oa mnxi n^D nWn nnn VaVaa inbaVai 

.X161 ,1580 T11DDDTX v '3 ,T13A ]l'y l^X ")DD 29 

.□63 ^1 ,148 8° D'^IT V 'D 30 

.XI 13 f|l ,2239 TY1D0DTX V 'D ,fOn , 'Uip' , V 31 

.270 f]! ,1580 IUDDDIX v, 3 32 

.X49 ,343 TVIDDD1X V 'D .DH^H 33 

n'nna 'n^xnn no^n ^ .a"y n 1 ? ^ nx^Dn iddd dj ddi: ,a65-x65 ,408 pra v 'D 34 

.1 pis .pp 1 ? nxn .n^ynax Vu; n^can 



my*unn naoaa pyj Try^x h bw it 1 ? mayViax ^u? nVaun pa np'vn Viann 
msyViax nVat?aw 39 mynnn wan Dipaa .np^n p^V pa wanOT 1 ? wnp 
,'nsn 1 ? .d'dtvsh "isoa nVii? id diw&i t xw nsoin ,u?T27 pa myaia 
*?y nooiaan .nmoon -np^n nvwb mnawx tits ntrw naxnn ivjd*? 
d'ditsh iddd nupi mayViax bw D'srvxn -pno D^yii xiot .myun wan 
mxn rnryn nama via 1 ? mp'om *yrv2fn dd^ nx nxnw .rrayViax .DHpuan 
Kin Vxn aVyjn dotw pV Tai na nxn ,OTiaan dot nvmx nmi ^'Vx 

• . v "inx 

,dot nvmx ^its vmy^ti? yian Vy nooiaa ^y 1 ? mm ntrOTi? Tiya 
a"y p dot main : Virvn pnpy ^y xan a^iyn "n -idddw *pTxn ntrw maa 
-pna nvmx ywn m&trm anaw .a^ira marann na *pn nnpan nvmxn 
nVoan .D^iry nyaixi anwy bw naiya nVapna it pia .dot nvmx vn 
.it ntvw 1 ? dj mpa xixaV iwdx ^3 ,*3on .nvmxn a"y p dot Va nx nama 
dot nx rmnDn nvmxn *?w p*?ya nx yaxn nxna 40 mD^ "pixn nwrvaa 
mipy am nnx pna nywn an onsoan *?a nunr .-pso p inxi .umaan 
x^an "iDoan *?a ay *pon Viaam *?irya nywnn aman dxt .mnx pia 
mpa pi 'a .rran 1 ? nwp ."pr nxaV annxV monn nvupym D^xaw D*nnxn 
ywn ^ya d'Viw by xan oViyn "n isoa intra? nx nna mayViaxw xm 
D'DiTsn nonp 'hvw ^ mpaa iaa . 41 yaxn Vw n*7X Dna-rV npn xVV ,nvmx 
ywn psn nx mayViax aV>w pa dj .moon pvrpm nD^V nnaxnn 'T-Vy 
nvmxn y^n |vyi 'a .TynV ^xia .nrmxn a r, y p D^n Dy bwvi nvmxn 
bwvn ^na mxxaa au? .msy^ax Vu? 42 nii?Dnn naoa ^Dia Vipy "jma 
uhepot •'a ( ~ny .yu;n idddh Vy htd^ iin t nvmx a"D p ou? nvmx 
ama'na D3 13^' mau? Vtr? orrnvmx ^itx dw 1 ? D'Hoawip D^pya 
nx D^Voan D^iry . 44l ?iy3 p iddi 43 id^ nax idd p^a .mayViax onnx 

"ppnu^" na^ra uno^n nx 3ku? n^oyViax .31 mym 146 '»y .n^D^iaK ,Vtk nxn 39 
nan dddu Voeh f x88 ,941 pra-'D-pVia v, d nx~s .i^nna mnm myi -pna 
.ni37i3nn U7an Vu? iip^a "ppnoir n^an ny*9io du?t mx rm nso a p^n 1 ? 

.id ,a m»tt? "?y 40 

nr^in mbiayn idd n^D^n ^ nnwDN by T»nn ,35 'ny ,xd T3T»n .nT^^a^uw 41 
.manyn nx 1 ? it f s?» nmn odd 1 ? nu?p .d^ix ,xan oVim "n iDoau? D'Viryn np^au bv 
nxa pa: na^n ht rrnw Vy n K nrarynn mb^yn ido nx tdtd irx n^yViax^ 

.omnM pa 

.X30 *)7 285 pro V, D = 338 *}1 ,38 np^V^X-xam V 'D 42 

.X102 ,285 pra v, a 43 

.X320 5)1 ,58 pro v '3 44 









i\ 




*K 




V X 

T 




v x 




X 1 




V 


8?. 


s 


x*» 

T 


X s 

T 




X'» 


.^x 


*•. T 




• T 




^x 

" T 


x * 


"'X 

T X 




s x 




X 1 * 

T 




f T 


8' 


X 1 

•• T 


x*> 

T • 


X** 

T T 




T 

x^ 




''X 




.V? 




"X 


'N 


•>x 


S X 


T 


















X^ 





.au?n nvmx yaix ay t'Vk mxn ^ts ^ mxVau yaixa nnx xm v nVao 
prc ;«iits Vu? v nnsa nna" mpaa xV ,iaoa n^ya .TayViaxu; ^a .d^ix 
bw m naon . 37, »nnx Vxn ^ d^h DOTa pVn xm y'Vx mxn wib 
oama iTyVx h nsoa .mmpaa x^au; lain Vy hott pya nxi3 n^y^ax 
p^a iTyVx n d^ .may^ax ^ vV mxa nonn ^itx ^u? np^ao i3x a^x^a 
w •'T-^y nT»m Va lpaai OTiaan ou;n nvmx yanxa nnx bib *\»bx mxn 

: 38 naan ]br\V\ .my^n 



^x 


'X 

■•. t: 


18 


"8 


'8 


*X 


!X 


^X 


18 


18 


-!8 


!8 


?x 


^X 

• t: 


?8 


'8 


"8 


'8 


«? 


'X 

" T! 


?.8 


'X 


'8 


»? 


"'X 


"'X 

t:t: 


''X 

TJ*- 


•'X 

t: • 


'X 


'X 

t:*.. 


?? 


^X 

J TJ 


• 8 


?8 


'8 


'8 



Nonsense*' in Classical Mediterranean Spirituality (ed. A.H. Armstrong) New York, 

* 1986 pp. 482-499 
.X97 *\1 ,233 }p"»UX1 '"a 37 

itv^x n hbod .own -iDoa maipa naaa tot X219 *p ,43 pro v 'a ,nrm nwy iso 38 
Dvon (a"j? tsp f|i .mrrVxn n3ii?a) D"n rt-nn' nb mim nn:a idd *]in'7 yopn pnyin 
nanya ^sob Taia "o^n D^nVx niDiya idd" *wan .a"i? a^ *]i ,a^ian o-ns -jin 1 ? 
nu^a U7anu?niy jwxnn mson Vaipan .j^nsn nanan nx ^Vnn p-an mn^xn 
ux\ ,95 'ay ,(ua 'ina) mxaixrr mxna isoa ,Tonn nnn ,> p rn h xin riDoa nn3au?x 
h ^ ™*n xin yirau? ,"ynt mx idd Vya" aira irara xim p"ai -ray ht npa 
n ^ nn p .mxaisn mxna nsoa mpan ]vxb ,a"y as r]i .a^ran cms mwn .m 
.a"y ua *p ,x'^n d^t .nnn 1 ? imTsa it hd^V xin d> ram svipi onaa n ,tn 



nxpa nanam aum no" mayViax tdto ,7 'aa? ,nnnn jtotu a?au? mrxs 
omaian ron!w nxnum ."nanxam nposam nnan na^aai nrp nnnmx 
*>iobw nnxn na^a 1 ? nVapa "nnan" na'wan *3 ,mote maum nnaa nao 1 ? 
Vamp na 'dd nanx nnx na^a ox "0 nnmx mw pa awa* x 1 ?^" ,mxn mam 
,mxn mam nx mV?an na^aV nVapa "npoaan" na^an ."manxa nVaoV 
□a nw3 unVwa p mayViax ."mxn nananV mamn na?a nTsa?V nnx" 
naan 1 ? a? w o^ "waw ^aau witd x 1 ? 1 ? .xnaa'a *piaft pn ix 50 annx maipaa 

.mapum 

,nann mma naa mata xm .rnrnn naa*»x a^aVw rwibwb nanpan npVm 
f "xpw — nzrwan lO^ana nttnVwV p aa na^an ybnn pVma nau? 
fa nVapn px ,aaanx . 51 "xpnaaip" — nnxn nnxy /'xpai" — na^an 
□u?a anxnu? ,Tnxa xsaan jxann nx msa 1 ? nmua nwx .nanau? Tnxn mrsa? 
pn" .na^an nnx Tata maa/Viax^; nmaan pa*? ,p?p *asia faxa mTa?a 
nTaraV idt xm mxn mam pis 1 ? Tnxn rrra; nx mxnan .nnsa; n*?anw 
na^a a^p Vapna mi^wn mwa . 52 mxTna nxi anapV nwp -|x .nana naman 
.moartnax mina aa mzwaVi nana ,nasa/ 'asa moo nnna xim ,mxa ^x 
,xon ma nanx na^aa pisn nx maarVnax wana p Va; na^ ^aa 
ox *»a nnmx mu? pa di^ xVu?" : xca p*>xa maron nnxn Vu? *3Ta Viaraai 
nTarm nVia?a naoa ,nam ."manxa nVaoV bivv na *>aa .nanx nnx na^a 
inn nVa^ na? nnx na^aa ai Vipa aum ja nnx mx Tarur naxa 

: 54t ?aum nx naoa aa pi , 53 "awaVa 

to nna xmu? *aaa mTamw mp^a nrxa r x mx natn 1 ? ^'nnn^a 
n»^aa p^oan x^i ,nnx na^a ax ^ la inxn bx ^imn 



.254 f]i ,1582 TnDomx V 'D ( K3n oVnyn w n "idd .25 ,nnnn maTia inw 50 

J. H. Woods, The Yoga System of Patanjali, Harvard University Press 1966, p. 193: 51 

.Yoga-Sutra II. 49 

rv?m nnx nzrtpjr? mV^a nposn Kin t nTsy — xpnaanp ^mpon u^T»Dn 52 
bv TiDi^n oinna rn^Viax^ o^xnan i^itd oa n^dV Tin^n mpoa pn .Tnxn 
xpmzyipn .oannon Jean Herbert n^D ,^'aaDD ^u? xiuid 1 ? xTupn ^ vmxxnn 
"jx .td^idx nnnaV □ , xna iiu^xnn u^itsh .mnx 1 ? ix no^:n ^dV ht^ ^bwb 

S. Vivekananda, Yogas Pratiques, : HX1 .Htn ^n'DH maiD'HO nx vmb ^VH 

.Paris 1939, p. 551, n. 1 
.271 ,528 Ip^UXI 53 

ry-ry as .D'aion dud idod p w o-i 'T-Va? pni?m .xi 10— ai09 «]i ,233 ip^oxi v, d 54 

.np^n idd era 



ix , 45 ^xnx ^ Vu7 naxoo yidV7 n^sxur 'dd .ax^o^xa aa D^xsaa ^xn 
mnpam n^^iax pa ^ran ^la^a nnma?D^a yaa mnpa ^nx^D xb 

.a^aivn 

matna mainan ma?ian (a 
:nmo"» naan aana .Va; 1 ? la^xniL? *»aa .mamn T^nn 
.nnmxn xua^D xm nnna cawnn n^a'anoa nnxu? .np-'aat? .nowan (i 
o^aPDia na^an ba? o^am ,pxi .a^aiaa na^a ■'V^a 1 ? ma^n dt'7 na^n 
Vu; nanaa . 46 nmu? nwnna ^ ax .otxa-rnm nnsisn'.nann nnna 
nx rfobb nansn ,na^a Vur np'aaoV dnan onarp onaxa a^x^aa TDvViax 
.WTb a?^nu? yoipan nainn nx nr\:b noaa .urnaan au?n nnmx xua^a 

: 47 mau?n nnaa naoa xxaa nnna anu?nn laxan 

nyiana naran [^naan aw bw] nnnmxa mxi mx Va npn? ^ns 
nainx nnx na^a ox 'a nnmx ^tw pa owr xbv (! ) manx ina^a 
nu?a? pi .nnx na^a narrca ma' p nnxi ,manxa n^ao 1 ? ^anu? na ^aa 
na;a nvwb (! )nnxi .mxi mx Vaa ma^a nmtz; na? mxi mx Vaa 
Va ^ bib arm .mxi mx Va pa nmaaV nnxm mxn nmnb nnaTnn 
n"aa 'aiVa u^b pna mnn noaana naana x*»n a^axa^ 'a^ai na^a 
maa u?'xn xnp» nau; nmnai nmaan ma nnax b>v nna omocr va^ 
oa; a?np 7m aax moa 48 inr nx ^aia lau? ma bv n"a va 'a^a 
mawn naanan nxn pn^ a^asa nnn nx^na naana 49 m^pu; pta 

.T'a ^x va ja x*»n 

xinwn .na^an Vu? naon mx^nn xm jwxnn :m vopa a^ai^n nmo 1 *>m 
amnan .a^ana rwiibw ->wy ^aaon mxmn .na^a 1 ? mana?n ma/awan 
mam n,m nnxn nxann (a) .no^nirm ,Tnxn noaan (x) ;nnx nnm 

.na^aV na^a pa nmaan (a) .na^an - mp^am mxn 

George Anawati, "Le Norn Supreme de Dieu", Etudes de Philosophie Musulmane, 45 

.Paris 1974, pp. 404-405 

nrana v sid •'T- 1 ?!? «|oxa mawn rramn mp'aaoa no'wan bv m , 'Diar , ?a'a nam 46 

pi ooiaa ,iasr n^D^iax ^ nonwn nwu? ws^ imira ,d^x "np^au" naxaV 
Vi? caiwn nnaxa .xan oVivn «n idd Vu? od™ pVnn Vi7i Va^n nx iddd yop 
.nyuipa inpnaa m«w»»n naiann p di^qt rryo io^w ,-|^ana 0x^3^ .no^an 

.X87-386 f]! ,1897 Vana p-sv ra ""'a 47 

.x t i max 48 

.nrmxn a"a p Dtyn Vtr? mannxm mawxnn nvmxn jn n^x 49 



mo Daoxi .nana on mm DiKn ma mwnn mrovo vn jnt? ,rn»' 
omna onwn rron wx ... *aw amn Kim nr n*n pa? he? nnx nzrwa 
'a naa mp^n t» Kim nyn mo n»»» nan ynn Din n'oo rrtp» 

nmwpn nmm rvnn» pw dtod nnK nzrwa pw t m»*wan 'a Vu? p*psn 
ma'Dwan nnwnn — |r>mn hki pwn nx rran 1 ? Kin f nnK niK nxra^ 
^mm men hk ma^n 1 ? *pT x*n nEwan .nxt ay .'iai ynn Din ,DnKn anati? 
ama na^n imKa nnx Dip&a . 62 "mwDn amn" /'•»" w ."nnp^n mrr : onxaw 
iwx nrn >aip» rnawa "n anw D"n maw ^ woTn mo^i n" v ' innayViax 
n?3tt?an •'Tna anu; m pm hot dw onma ^u? "py mm n&wan nrn ana 
ay lan^i pxa pau^ m^awn Tinaa D">aam» w Dm arma ">au? dtiow 
dj p '-p-Van nKnaa 1 ? am 1 ? no^an Viz; nnVia 1 ' *?y imp m yop . 63 "anKn 

, 64 u?Dan nnxwnb 
— nramnn m TaanVi mnoinn Vy na^nnV — nowarr bv mmpsn 
■w ona^a rm D^mna war :^xa*»Bi Vxnaai .D'ax^ian n^Vy o^isd 
amTODT orDK^D ^b wirwn a'ax^on mow bo nK an^y '&Kau? onipn 
ik ,^ansn Vawn ay VKa^D nrmo rrsyViax ^k .""bxnaan ^kd^d 65 DnViyai 
annx moipo *wa . 67 imnn bv naiDDn .pa^mo ay nmTO Vxnaan ,]vido» 

pa? = onxn ma nwnn = mroipa = ma** pwn = nnx na^a = 814 = ma^an 'a 62 
nan ma maa = inn Din maa = rrtpa omna = onwn man = ^iz? amn = yv n"b-\ 
mo^n nx ranm; pna .no^an Vip n^vnn nrrann ]">2 iiyp pn" .nip s to hd = 
,n4io ,WD:n iDon locnx *T-Va? nmn x^nw D^snixn d^vdho p^in pnV .^min 

.nzD^an , r- t ?i7 i^Dan no^D ,28 
= mowa "n = □"n mau? = 824 = ma^a n" 1 .N55-254 rp ,1582 msoDix 63 
w = o'nniD D^a^ = n»\^an n"»na = many = 678 = crrm 'au? ; HDwan nrn = nrn 

,n55 rp ,1303 8° D^IT ""'3 M HK1 .Hl^n 'nnDO = D"»DDniO 

on^nam ,myin Vpwanr :N322 ^ ,58 pa^a v/ d ,Viya |a ido 1 ? nniyn 64 
.o^n naura rsxa nsn (7 ,2 n"wn) □"'nDi pan nbaDD .maum nnoan ,myu?n 
Vd2 mainnn .maVyan ma^an Dy ,ma^n mam mora pian^w ,nvmxn bpwni 
]"aa">n *»anD ^VnpV witsd paam nmV mwm ."ma nnx nw onDT .masnn 
□^nna □"'aonDa □ , nDiai mniK D^ya nnran orav :axp r ay ,k .(^yryi^ nna) 
D^n nnV yip' Vax ,mpa n: .a xVi oViyn rrm naxu? xm iau;n *»d ... nViyn 

.95 myn j^n 1 ? nxm ."prm 
27 ^n ,408 pa^a v, d ,u?Dan «n "idd n?n ^'n^x^a^a "^xVa" D^n nx nm n^y^ax 65 

.nyi a225 *p ,40 jsa^a v, d ,idu7 nax idd ;d-x 
.X87 ^n ,1997 V'ana pnv ra v 'd ,maiz;n nnoa idd 66 
.171-168 'ay .p-in wpbi main n^iy ,Vpn nxi 67 



K'nn no^aa Tnxrn viua D^wnur ^y D^iya^ poDn nw K"»nn 
.na ^nxn 1 ? *7airw n» ^aa nnxn ino^a manK na nro 'sa mnron 

nnaD naoa .nmaoa p kV ;nsnpaa ]m n»^aa p.^nxn^ w ^a^niy 'sa 
na^ ^ ^at^n mx iDoau? mya .nmaoa nnx no^a nmx ^y nan» ma^n 

; 55 Vp 

msp nnx na^a dk *»a la pain mxn nD^a 1 ? 'xn n»^a ]^a ^nan kVi 
□u?n mx 1 ? 'xn pa ik ontira 'xn pai ou;n mxn pa ^x ...namx ik 
DiV^nai ,inv kVi Kuaa ^a mmpa 'a D^anV n^ia^ w> 56 D*»aiDna 
'n p mns VaK .nnv k^t la 1 ? mia^a 'n D^anV nwn "]V ^ moi mu Va 

.*]Ta nwnn 

mo^a tz;^^ nwa 1 ? nntysxa nann ,naiw nonn ny»DiD Kan o^yn "n naoa 

."mau; 1 ? nnK mx bw xoa^D pa 
jann" :no^an pTa nvmxn nK KuaV mo^xn xin nnatna ymn nnx ^a 
prr xV ^ax .nnx^aa pa mm nx^ra pa vnsiz;a xua' xVi ,iaiDn Dii^a^ 
. 59,, "rn'' nia^an nx'arn main pn' ^ 58 nm no^an o^aa^i raa nam^ 
no^am nzrwan ybnn .no^an bv wivvn m^D^oa in 1 ? nny maya 
D'^o ."vA T'ao" o^»n ''T-^y .V^yb Kamw mai^n nnaia idod yupa tbtib 
^a^a 1 ? Vy na^nn 1 ? inVD , » noi^a ,DiKai^ nmaain nmn nK mVno»- nVK 
'ot /'jw yip" 'iD^an nK bVian 60 nvmKn a"& p D^n nK t3to DiKn 
nVia^n .pu;ai mion ^^Da nrm yin n^u? ,pva nx ^aia /,l 7 ^apon 
D^iyn «n nooa da nnx mcaa nyaiD .nja^an n^bv mnoinn Vy na^nn 1 ? 

: 61 xan 

pt^n man ... nnx nmpa p^ mo^an a n^nn dk uwm awn myi 

.ano-xno «p 55 

— aoiDnn , v 'x — Dn^n 56 

a-waVi p^y ]pnVi pnan 1 ? nwi ]V ^ mxi mx ^3 par :354 *}7 ,1582 misosix v '3 57 

."m3Tnn ma^aa ma^a unVw ni?^a 

.niTnn nx 'noai^m D^ayD ysia "iw ... pm xV' DDU^an 58 

xua 1 ? *«?ipn mnaV '3 .p^V ^xi3 .X87 *p ,1897 ^"ana pir ra v/ 3 ,ma^n nnoa -idd 59 
np^asua □"'uran^an .o'snsn Vxx nxi3 nx-nn lax d^ksid .na^a *pn nvmx 

Anawati-Gardet, Mystique Musulmane, nxi .HD^ai na^a jaT3 XDa^a naVlU?a 

.Paris 1961, pp. 208-209 

.pnn nTDo — nnaain mraV Vao nvmxn a"a |a awn wawa mToon n^apa 60 

.361 *\1 ,1582 miDD31X v '3 61 



xaraa wxnn niinan btim nxTi .mxtrDDn nvnixn -npn 1 ? axnna .iwn 

: 76 xan aViyn "n nana 

.nrxa pV : -jtpxm p 1 ? yan 1 ? Vrmn mxn mama Vnnnw nnxi 
mpnn nvxa i^xn yayai .mm xmw naa jaxra iipxti ,waa xijto 
n^vaVw nmpan "o an .nanann Tparn "pi in .tdtd nnxw mxa "iwx 
|n nnxwan nmpa amx Vax .nVa/Db x^n ma 1 ? nnpn m aVm 
nx '3 mxa naTainw /x x*>nw mxn p nVyaV nwx in mxn p nuaV 
xVi hud 1 ? xVi *?xdu;*? xVi x 1 ? p?xn nun *?x nn^nnna 'p mxn 
nnxw rrnxa d^txd pa xm V?xa nwa "i^xi nx w Vax ,y?a nbmb 
nvnan -ptt?an -wxa a"xi ana Vx ana nwi -paa pix anx ay "ian?a 
"CD nriDi t»pj; -man own uaa nVa?D ns p?xi ar»an nnaTna mxn 
T»do mxn mam nmVn pioan x^u? nrr 1 ? ^aa ^jti^ npai 77 inai rrx'n 
lrr nzrwan p^ODntz? ny nVva nar^yn nanann nmn "pan^a 'Dan 
mm Vx nzrwan a^wn 1 ? a?n marnno ixup axi ."jwxi nanan uv 

.Van a^wnu? w pxi 

:mspa 78 *?awn -nx iDoa aa Tana namna pa nxinw -p^nnn 

wan iVi dVivV xarp mxn awaw muan na 1 ? j^ana nnana "^xti 
nVami -pvan pn nnTan a^axa ^nnn a^nai ^xi aa win 1 ? nmp 
n^wrw nnxi nVyaV hpxti a^Vumw ia? dvd L?a?a na^an as? p?xi 
jwn Vx Vxawna p?xn "pwan natai ... nnx dvd pxn iv mnntpn 

.Vxawn *?x pa^na papai 

.-np^n manan nx mpnV mavoa x*?x jrx \rxnn mnan 'a mxn^ p^ 
.nana ^nb pin mpnm ,praa aa inn ,a p"iDa nxna^ 'sa ,m jron 
.mamn nva d^th mnan Vu? nwn n^ 1 ' 79 pu?nn nooa .nTn manan (3 
:D'3ma nanaa mraatxn nptnn mis nx ^pwDi 'XTn' xm m nx^n 



.23 'OS .H'D^nSK .Dlb^ H^i? 0D13 .354-K54 «]1 ,1582 iniDoaw V 'D 76 

.N"y 3D rrD-a 77 

J.L.Blau,77z^CAm/w/inK1.226TO .H'DyViaX ,D1^tt7 .D110-N110 f]l ,233 Jp^XI V 'D 78 
.Interpretation of the Cabala in the Renaissance, New York 1965, p. 69. ri. 12 

.mo&tzma ,ai2-xi2 *p ,749 n^onan nnoon v, d ;39-x9 ^ ,1801 ^"onn piv vz V 'D 79 

.ai66 *p ,10 pa^D V 'D .D^nVx ia idd oa nxn 



xm 'a wvftwDi n"** 1T3TH" : no^an nntva nmam bxn miaa? bv iax OHO 1 ? 
^n^Wn n"** bbnn nou;an ^a" : nan , 68 "in»nr?aa n'^ iTan — o^n nu;ii7 amn 

, 7iw iav nn^ai nn^a ^aa n^n 70 iDxai 
n . 72 nDan rnpxn iDoa ar»sion a^n maTm nza^a fa itt7pn nx T3Ta 

-.nVx anan nana la^x now idd ^no x^ao btxtii n in^Vx 

XDVxa mpa «ima ^afano h ]a au? an^aai nj7u?a o^pbn ^nnh ^ ^ 
rpnn an nawaw i^x av^n rpnnw ijoxt ^sits ^nnn xn^a 
ia pian h p a^D mx vr no^ai n»^a ^a V^i a^aD anxu? mD^a 
v/ tz;^U7 proi anxn n"»n' hit *»9 xano Va Vi? 73,, a itt x*»nn na^an nvn 
ntVi xman nmavV vmo^a Va n^n^ nxn o w nm no'wa pian xm 

/nan n** V^nn n»u;an ^a piDDa Y'aa b"r\ nanna 

ampnn ^aa .nvmxn n p au7n 'Dims amaun ^x main ]'a n^pn 
nxaiaa |vy ^no — ^nvnV naiwxiV — ]xa n^s?3 .no^an paV .^o^n^axn 
mxaiza ,Va^n nx naoa nxaiaai ozanno mv^x n Vu? nnnn ito iddtd 
y^a 1 ? -wax n^ro na^naa ^a .paxn 1 ? nwp . 75 dtoi otid iDoa mysnon 
m Tno axp ,aipD Vaai ,nvmx aa TaTn 1 ? ^ hpxd ,ni?u?a m»^a ^nnn 
n^xn naoa raiow 'sa mavan ^u? Tabiw .n^D^iax ^u; in^sn nx nmo 
nxiaa .n^in 1 ? xwia 1 ? nxiaan nwnb n^3?o pn naDin ira r^n 1 ? ^wv ,naan 

.wmn o^oa 'Va 

mynana n^D^iax nnna nnV» nvmxn maTn i^nn .^nn n^yian (2 



.382 *p ,1582 mDDDIX 1 "D ,KDH 1DD ^ DVOn Ttt? 68 

.1 ,ap D'Vnn 69 

.(134 'Dy .pa^xmnxTi nrto) u ,t nm n^xna 70 
vr D >awn -iDD 1 ? oa mwm .K87 «]i 1897 V'ona piv T»a v '3 ,rnnu?n nnDD idd 71 

.377 f]T ,233 Jp^UXT 

,3"y id ,]H3n m^x h 1 ? nvs^n tt?"n»3 oa x3io yupn piD ,nxTn ny^ 72 

.a ,n on3T 73 

xin f x "|x rrDyVoK oa n^sio ,d , ditx ^"nnn 1 ? |3T o^pbn f] / 'nnn , 7 nyu7n npi^n 74 
. l ?yiD3 ^D/ann 1 ? n^y hts -wp ^xt^ diuio nxnaD .na*? o^anrn d , "idd3 on^a'a nu?po 

1DD ;X60 ^ ,774 DnD v/ 3 .HT^ "1DD ; K5 *p ,38 v '3 ,D1X VTX 1DD :HKT 

nx3iD3 oa nxTi .onnx d^i manpna nyi ,340 *\i ,1580 msoaix v, 3 ,rm ]ty nxix 
,a"y *)7 ,a p^n .a'^^n pna ^a , i k , 71tj< omax nonn nx idd "|inn np^ nx idod 

.131D3 "?y 

.vxTn m irr^x n ^ mo p"»i mn .yira .3-x 3713 .moipn ny^ 75 



:V?x nvmxa ]vv mam wbw pw> . 82 anaoon nana pipo nx mo^na 
nrrnxn Vw jmsn nnwa ,nnwn nmn .mVawm maram ,nn»inn 
maain p .p^on na 1 ? mama nvnn nrmxnw ^a» ,]vdih ma mwa 
uam x^n nnvzn mix *?aw awa ^awn Vw upy xwia 1 ? V?x mnvsn nvmx 

.mVtnuonxn niann nnn ■'a 1 ? .mVaw mV^a 1 ? 
xm -iwx npnaua wontt?n rrayVnx naV naa 'a ,on»Vo "pub px nai 
in^Viax p'xo 83 xan abnyn "n naoa .mznpa noaa rrVi? pnn nx yma 

DT'an DTrt>i?n rax*?o mxn 'm awn nx vxb nvnoxn "pmawno pn 
mVw ioa ann*>a nnxi p"»ao amw-p ix onoiy aix na on V?xa pa*?a 
annn annyn -pmawnoo panb> pVi "i^aw pn ibia ht p"x nnxn ... 

.paVa mawnan nnmxn wa 1 * nwx 

.wmaon awn nrmxa nanon "o ,pao Va 1 ? iaya mano ,p nnx a^ai noa 
xvt naiwxnn nanam imna jnaoi vry amor' rnnnso pw ]wbv ioxaw 
mVua? mnan man ^an m va^ao pwo ix nanaw mano mix ww T^rw 
up nmxw nauann nx mayViax ixno pn inxV . 84 "np*»nn nanon anmo 
^w mran yaixa nvmx n na mow nyanxi Ta-ioa nvmx a"y p aw : p^oi 1 ? 
104 = yb •! a"y xnuon 1 ? nanam ,a"V ama nvmxn a"3/ p awn t 1 ? .yiann 
.□nnx a^aipo "anaa pwn npnau^ mV>apo Vi? now f^nV .4 x 26 = 
a^aiofra awa x*>ao .naawx aiVw p pv n .mayVnx Vw Tvsn nn p 
mrna noao naiwn ^wona mVi? pnaw ,it nxaio .nxan nxaion nx 
□"iwyw .a^m-ro 'n^an a^aioi^an :7nx xu;i3 n^a^na pn jxa d^do^xi 
np^ao d^'sd .lmV^DV i&nptp d^^x ^x ix n^y^iax bw im ^a nvnV rn 
.b^vb p3xanu? .i^anao mxaina n^son it 1 ? o'Da^n n^aa n»mn ,m:^ann bw 

: 85 nxaiQn pti? 1 ? in 

pini irx : djw 1 ? nn iai nox nxia^n pava a^DiD^'sn ">Dan nana laa 
□VinV hidto pi?a f pna owm *\b m-mvp o^axn ]d i^x x^o^u; 

."D^iyy ^yoa xav i^x ,id ,j maw yaxnn i^its nxn 82 

.H52 t]! ,1582 V 'D 83 

>tk riKi n'uo'Q np'aaoa u^m^m D^ryn rnno pa n«?pn .x58-a57 84 

.81-79 '»y .nmiannn 
"lanon" noKDa .n^xia n^D 1 ? niaiyx ^ov n Vu; wits "]ino ,di^u? f a H'-^v ddi3 85 
,(n"Dnn-T"D-in) n idd nnp ."viddi Y'amnV onvnn nrr idd U7itd ^nasn 
.223 '»y .n^xna .^o^n ;2 myn ,012? .m 1 ?^ bv vmi m hkit ;299 



•paa nx xu?n dtid 1 ? yrv xun 80 a-ii? nn^D 'sa nxu?D nnup "^nVan ]ian 
p^nD xmu? pan ^ n^aa nx^3 maia n^D'm n^xwn 
mn nrnp n^upn wwn ,Vx?du7d 'ai fD^a 'a hdd w»m na» vmsasx 
BWD-yrum i?^»xa pVnm .mpnann anV manpn 'ai mpan manp 
... d^d twV niDia o«nn »nan ^toVi ^/ it nmsa T T l 31 
mona au;n naV amx nxu?3 nu;x nnaa rnn t» ... [maTnn wd] 
mbxD^on mrn^ 'n laaa 'n mya^x "» m»na m3»"»o nrrDD ivy 
paV Vy ^xdu? t a^n a^yi a^nn man mman naan nnxi nann 1 ? 
nninV myasx 'na hdtod iro' t wbv d^i mvaxx 'na muiu;D 
irx ix 1 ? dxt p^a nwnn irvr T T XU7 ^ n ^ n nxl vnnn nDT?:5U7 

— "jwarr ix .m^V .nvnixn xua^D ni?a y^aV w m^vsn nx b^b TO^n 
niavi .1-193 piD im w — d^w a^ioa nvmxn nu^a nx mayViax naa^ p 
nniVa t "aV'a n^van nwasn m^wn — a^n nnaTn ^u? ^w^n aVu? 1 ? nnv 

.|vonm Vau?n -.waan mmaa 

n'D'aan maTnn (i 

ma-onDB inxu? .np^ao n^sia r^n nxan 37x0x0 nnayn mucon nnsoa 
n Vxx nxx«3 nanp np^au bv nny .(pw ]nTr) bKn au? nvmx xin 
mix laoa .au;n nvmxa ]vvn bw u^wn a^aVwn nx Diaon .^o 1 ? px pnr> 
: 81 10x3 .r'n nxon bw *>ywn wbwn nioa nxnaa anaiiy .oViyn 

1U7DX xVx .wpiaon pnn xin n3?ia nvsi noinn Vyo au?n u^d 
tt7m»na Viaia i3*»x p^oin ^a ,^o^a noin nw nvs ^a» it^V p^ 1 ? 
amnmxai vnvmx maana xin p^mn ^s> no am 
nrrnxn nxu?i ,nnaiom my'aon p vnrmx o p pan Diaooai 
maii?no aa^xu? aai awn nvmx nVra nnai an 1 ? rnr xVt myynano 
•»a ab> aan Va ^x yirn idt ... anaoon nana ammoipo ma^no xV) 
awn nT uiwa^ onwa Vaw p ax ,nvmxn ip^nc jvoin pVnona 
.•»Va^ abw tpx ni?! 1 ? la r^n no^n uiwan noinn *?3?o 

|3^xwi mann nx mrsow , v nnx t aVy3n wmaon awn nrmx xnn yupn xwia 

,KDp o^nn so 

DU7n nvmia nana .mvownn ^ Vy wp'm "m^w roio oisia .32 'oy , i860 xan si 
naD yir rrrn ,25 ,i ,nna nDoa vdio ht jvyn .a"xn nrmx -ixu? nx my^Du; ,u7mDon 

.rrran l^i^Q xan ^dv n ^^x pnnxi naira »taipo aipn 



mvt? ->vb xa 1 * xVi nn ir*?x mxn x 1 ? "pin ht tp awa npai aixn 

">3 DnpttH T3 VlD' xVl D'ttttTWn f»a a^awn "pa VTWa pjtf DW3 

.ana ^wiai anpan Vaa n^a 1 ? xin tp awa pan msa 

rnsn Y'w a"n v/ :jrain npuau ia*?an mx uawa jrsia na^n mixa 
mpia laVa 3iwn*> unvn Va asax ... mpan awn lips nna nVap ama 1 ? mxa 
:p pain jpsn y»sna .r^anaa xs»an /axa yupa . 93/ "P3dV lips Kin i^xa 
W?:o TPi? ^dV inran 'n mmix "pawnaa i"xn .^m npna 'n .mnx pi" 
pawna" 'wan . 94 "aimn am ^aa .nam nVina pawnai wxa anx i?as 
■pia by D'sraxa o n ry nrxa iaoa unarm; pwxin laxan xd^oi "nann n^sriD 
pnr 'i o pn" . 95 nipam mwn nip^w npuat? 1 ? nnVna iwx .pnaia ^xa 
nvnix jvai nmx n*axa ntran ay rpsirtnax *?w mnn nx a^w ias? pi 

.r">n nxaa x^n nmnw ncan ,Vxn 
'ay ,290 pww T~ana "[ina nrnixn p^ai xwua anai x->anV "nxi ^loa*? 

: 648 

nxm pi*?n n^ana iaa:in awn -p'x!? *?ain maVn un nanVwa 
p nxa rai nxm awi nan^wn nam 13 pxwa "»dxi ua i.Vanona 
wsnm ,T 7a was nnxw ran namw fisi nxmsan nun p*?n nxn 
mitt ,l ?Diy pia Ton V^V anann. amxn "pna nnxi nx x^nw 
nyaom pV»am n^sa rrrr ara htp axi wnpi lino nvnV *nnwni 
iaiy nnxw rra imxa nrpan W"im va^xa raaon nWa ]ai i;axxa 

.omnoni onrrnpn anp^n rm^ ^na Va^na 

a 1 ? d^V u;' .o^aipo hm anpa nynr nn^m tikd nmn ,maxa ,it npuau 
lixanu? moipoa n^D Kin\z; : n^^iax Vu? innn ri3ana nnaio nnp^ 1 ? 
.mD/a 1 ? ,^ pnsa uit^ ,nnnK moipoa pin .'ysaxa Kan nViyn w n iddd 
a^^a nvmxn Ve7 pain ;*?*a pianV nt?^a a^aiD pi pa awn nvmx 



,768 n'.unan nnoon v, d*i 1943 iiidddix ""'dV nnn/m ; K95 *p ,108 ^''on^ ons '"D 94 
nxn) □"rvnTXDiDon |n n^jp Vdo 108 V"Dnn d'-id v/ d .771/2 'Dm ,xi9i-ni90 
-]in iraaxa own nvms nvx .(X89-X82 ^i) n'D^nax ^ DU^-mVy n^n jm (X92 ^1 
nmn Vdq m pip d^t ,229 'Dy ,919 ]ww v 'aa ^di» .hitdd 1 ? | w 3i?n moxn ho 

.V'ddkt ids? ]Di pnr "i innn 
,5 1 t ji .D^Dimn nnoa D"2?Dnn ^ nn;u?nn nwDna ii?su;in nnn hdi ,pDo 95 



awn rrrrvw nnx rP n:3 1X nwannn ^caa ht Van la-iVna 
oyn nan mn 86, 7ip vnvr D'oys .mxanxn mxnna rrv "t^ 1 ? wmson 
Vaa nn** pi mmn ,l 7a Vaa navona nxT» pi ,i;DU?n win ^a ^aa wm 
^n* 1 pi won ^a Vaa wwd 1 pi ai?Dn ,l ?a Vaa aivu* > pi nnn ^a 
87 mn ia a^wai^n v»asi T»ry i^ 1 ? wipn nvnixw nva nT *?ai .ms'i 

.nxia? .nmn 

.ooixon nanan nx ia mxn 1 ? T'xw .na^aya n^D^iax 1 ? anann nanp 
^w lanV n'p^apa "nxia3 ,,I 7 nx^aon np^aoa wiiddh awn nvmxa ni33iannn 
aamaw *»9 ."d^dioiVd" awa anam nxan hxt .n^Vox 
iddi D"aom bw n^ioi^^an paw nnon nx na^in ,nT^ idd nai a^anya 
wniDaa nmiw nnx a^ia mx^n .a^ix .n^a^iax •'ana nx nr^Dxan .nrr 
fa y>no nn^ niwaxa nrx — "ia a^waiVa 88 ryasn" — n^ay^iax H'a 
ay ,it n^poa xpni -]X .n^yViax ^w "amaxn" a*>anan mx 1 ? it nxaia 
.■'xia^n ^aipan ^w mnn mnnann nsan 1 ? naiwn .^uV px nana nxaian 
ja nspaa miw nn^nw ,na«p naaa nn^a xVx mnn nx wrn xV n^a^Viax 

.to n 1 ? ]na xinw pin 
■'■'n 1 ? vnn^ "pi*7xn aw nx ma^anan nvmxn paia nxii lay pi pnr n 

: 89 a^2; nrxa iaoa viai 1*7x1 ,xan a^ivn 

no VTb nmnw jian 1 ? pa n , »Tn , ' , 7 i^a iaix vn^i yw a"n' ux 
nawnan nmxa n^p^w p^v Vxa inawna piam nbynb 1WD3 m^wp 
o'ttP ,xaai nTa lav awn ran n^n^i xan aVii? posn *»Va nn^ann 
iDoa iud 5 ? a^aina an i^xa invan awn nvmx inawnai iVaw u^ 
iwxaw nai 1 ? ui^n n^ban ^a ma nVm nix Va Tnm nmwx narna 
nawnai ana i^aw u^ vrv yrv i^3a 'n^ invan awn nvmx a^wn 
•'naxn piam inn mxa anuw nawnam noann w ^an ,^10 ]'xa p 1 ? 
wDiw pT Vai "\x\ 92 a^pam anxi 91 pain iai 90 ia npaiV 'man 'axw 

.0 ,X TWY 1DD 86 

.(156 'ay ,p3 s 7X-m'!X''n 'mo) n ,r H3i n^xia nvwn 87 
nman iau? .iidi nn^na nanin^ pix nVapa mnioi o^axa ni33i2nnn n^yn 88 
iV^xt .viiD^na csDsn nx *?Va tdto nrx n^DvViax .minx mrnaa *\ov n bu? nxaian 
p^n nnvna ,mnxa mjaiannn nx xin ^pnn ,16 'ay ( nnn ,t ? nxn mrxa ,inx mp»3 
.94 m»n "p*? t ^ana nnain nxaiDa nxn .na ^an xm^ itq naiaan ,nVap jno» 

.235 .onpna ,^bm da nxii -.apy ni^iD ,m. f m ,7m 1 ?!! 'ina 89 
.i ,i du> 92 .a ,* du? 91 .aa ^x*' onai 90 



102 ion oViyn "n ido3 .nT2P idd3 pry "jinn ma^o mnnonn "m-Vy mm 
om mm ay msnxa urax max 'an D*»xi33 trray '* dix3 up ">a yi" : iax3 

O^aa p31 p"XD 13133 WX to mil* '33 X133 tPXl nam Q'DI mm WX ^OX^a 

r| ia to it npiVn ."mi i"an ma mia min era i"yo ia33 d'o nms ua 

D^ai WX WD33 ttTDX IY10X Wlto" :iaX3 OV A A ,HTr 1D03 niipa ,DlXn 

it npi^ ."DW3 yiaa mia mai caa xi33 pan wxa xi33 wxi .mm 
mVran npiVn Kim , 103 mViai xn"i33 133 xsa3n ,irnn no' moyVox *pom 
; wx = nwp , mix ,nto = p"xt> : mx tid^ nnx *?a ma"u?n , mynp y3ix *»d^ 
mm p .o^a = 'Vi ,3ipy ,pio = i"yo ; mi = win ,D"37xa .D^aixn = i"an 
wanum moyViax .nvmx 'if? amwp mxn *yu *»pVn ntznto .nwonn 
nxm ax .m^Tan maw to mamn 'tpxi oipaa nvmxn 3"y )a nu?n nrrnxa 
yuma mx xVx irx naairo ma .rrsvViax to nwonn mnnonn nx p 

.mn" awa ia ni33ianna pxi ,nixn *rua mmpan 
mxm mrxn du? nx nx&ann moTnn np^ao to 'nxan "'Sixn nx psV up 

: 104 mD^ax ama xan oViyn »n isoa m*?y miaan 

,ia lywnw pwxin mrn xin wxin .^o -pn wxi laiVa rrai p3i wxi 
337 maia xin a"* pam ib 337 maia xim wxm to imVan xin *pon 
niaTnn nyun T*xn iipx lvxm .a^n mpa dew mm maia xim ^xi 1 ? 
onnx ^oV ix pa 1 ? myu? 1 ? mouna inx *\n yat: xinn m^3 mwb 
yon nnxT paa nrmx ^nwD xin dxi xinn -onn du? p^3 37u?n 
D37DX1 n 7 "' ^di U7xn mmi D" , » ")3n ^"u;3' , naann nun laonV 

.n?DX3 n ,, u;3 ,,l 7 n'"» ura^D xm o □ ,/ ' , ^"a^D rv" nam ^"a^D "jinn 
t^i n u?xm -jm nVnn iDxn naai n ,> a7n^ nD Va n7 m^a i^7m 
7mawn»a mysaxn mmpai im^ nax nxim pyo nnx i^xa ^xi 
."iniD mrnpa mra idiw pipn 'n mx n^v nxn nnxi 



.312 *\1 ,1582 mDDDIK V 'D 102 

67 '»y t (n"3«?n) a na^n idd - ]Vx id /niVrai KivnaV xidd" f 'nDnx w]a ia nxn 103 
Tia .iD^nuni hkii D^amn 1 nnDoa D^an moipoa n^Dio it npi^n .34 mym 
.3D 'ay ,v">wr\ d^i-i 1 ,Dmn r M nvaiaipa .i^u^Di? x Vu? mail ,ia 'as ,a ,nwna 
1E3D3T ,235 'ay ,290 ]iww v 'Dau? ^a^iaxn Tora ox it npi^na wanwa ia^y n^Dy^iax 
yup3 rsion ."nrnr rman ^ .T^nV ^ .ksi v ,158o -niooaw v '3 ,™ py nsix 
•>a^ nmn*»n rr , sioiV»Dn .didk "» nxn j^mVia" iva^a ,K3n DViyn w n iDoa uoixan 

.94-93 'ay ,a ,t>"Dwn o^x ,D r T3n 

.X61 *\7 ,1582 TIIDODIX v/ 3 104 



nmon . 96 ^xt?oaxn i^nnn ''Dion 3^3 nrmxn n^xi nx anpa p^xm 
pin nvmxn p^m ,onnx onana V^x nmia nrx nnoa pa^ np^at? pa it 
^ip'DD^n ^x n3a nyaia p^ain np^au ^a ,Tya .Dipaa ia pa mpanV dV^x 

. 97 y"»n nxan n^xia ^anyVx px 
n^ivn "n noo3 x^Q3 n ,> Dy t 7i3x Vu? ni33i3nnn np^aoa. inx p^ya mo*' 
ETna^x n^i^u^a ni33i3nm main np^at?^ 7Dii xin moipo. noaa .xan 
T'sm ,x ? Kinur ^icn wxi T»aTnV my awv :mn^m ]uan ,wxnn :D ,>,,, ip , 'y 
mxn maTn pai -piax mpo maTn pa aiu?3n ^xi ^3033 Vanoa nnx iVxa 
^tdyi imx3 inx anpaai . 98/, xmn n3xn ^y n^ian x^nn 

nDD man iaa anaxn TaTnti? m mn /n ^nn u?xn ma7m aiwn myi 
xmtp y^Dxi ,tpxnn wxi xmu? d^d "]U7xi3 mmp3 "x i^xa an ^a •'niDxw 
WiW mmp3 ^ iVxa aiu^n ]Dn t^Kin ^10 xmw mnxi u?xnn 
nnx nmp3 x^m ^inn ^nn xintr y^axi "|inn w^n xmtz; d^d mpa 
mmp3 i^xa aiu?n my pi ^lon ^id xm^ mnxi ,m ,, y^DX3 la^a 
.yy» nmpa wrw y^axi .^lon T27xn .pia^u nmpa x^n d^d pD33 
uin iwk nv^an mpa x^n^ nsyn mVan nmp3 xmu? mnxi ^lon "]in 

a ni33 mmm V?ian ^vmx 3"y ]3 diz; bw nvmx xoa'a Vy 0013a yupn 
— 07xi n^Via nnx nmm .inx mo nnna i^x pya niTn ,> wi ,nnx ^a nvmx 
mu ma7n ^m-^yu; ,paa .naunx mx — ^10 ,m3^ mx — rpn ,n3i^xi mx 
.imrui 13D3 ,oixn u;xi nx cn^a .ana^xn ^y maiaan ,mmix 't? VVian 
DU?n V^ia p oiu?ai .ona^xn inxa 1 i3^ ^tV xranV n^i^y mxn niaTn3 myo 

. 100 D"ia ^im^n nx nvmxn a"y p 
iwp Vy maia ma»n nyom 'a ,iaio diVu? u ?i7 np^au mmmpa ana 
'a /^an ^x . 101 maD3 pi3nn l ? nn3inu? n^iaox .OTxamnm moy^iax )'a 
it np^au ^nyiV .naiaan xm "ixn 1 ? nu?pu; iai"a nx^aa xinu? nym xpm 

n^anan wiH ib»U7 np^Doa 13 ^an^a rpsy^iax^ Vipyn oa "join nanoa nrnaa 96 

.n «r»yo ,a pis .pn^ nxi .lamna 

Henri Corbin, Creative Imagination in the Sufism of Ibn Arabi, Princeton 1969, p. 234, 97 

.n. 41-42 

.X62 ^7 ,1582 "niDODIX v '3 98 

.363-X63 ^1 99 

.312 *p 100 

.170 'ay .n^y^x ,oi^ 101 



mm mm anx nwb -jVip yaw xVu? nmra aipa ~|V mm -pia nntn paV 
axi .dix dwV "pio nVan Vxi mVya ix mrna aon nnx *»Va& nmanDi nnr»Di 
.nV'Va inu^vnu? nupn aion aaaxi .in^y uya Vax maa ova imuwnw ,Vam 
ay ianV "psy po nnxw nmxa aViyn 'Van VaD niawna maa*? inTm 

:non nx'n "inn 112 ptzmn laoa ."n,xma 

psy ]pnV ins nnx mann naann nnx 3"y p aw matnV nnnwa 
tznaia "jnvnVi nmran aw tid tdthV inra aipaa nnra yrvnb 
nawna pVa ixwn xVwi rpmw 'Van Va;a an naiD ti Van Vnaim 
wxn nnx iVxai nvman xVi nrnan xV nvyatn nimnaxn niawntt?a 
'aaa nxis nunyn wxn iama iwxa Vawn aViyn nrx VaV m |na iwx 
]n Va ia>syV "uo xim mViTV ,131m vaai mwx Vy mawnV mn any 

.iV "]Vm nayi laaa irnvm nmwm 

aipaa mmrianm aViyn 'Vana mpmnn — j xa a^aaan a^np^yn a^xann 'aw 

: 113 p-TS nyw iDoa a^awa — miaTnn -pisV inro 

ma naom idV iwx maann ixw Vaa iwsa mnu mix Vx nVym my 
na mayVD nmx myaiai waan maVaVa mVaino nvyau anvn 'aan 
Vx "pur p ax nam ... mpin p mpn an nwx nvnVxn nmsn 
.aiwn nnr mm Vip ia yaw xVw man mm axi invo maa mnmann 

trun mVoa pynni" :]'Vwi nnam mVua mauynn xin rniaTnV 'wVw 'aon 
nya "py x^n iwx na^awn tido nni nxm mnnw na T,mai n,wxia i^an 
nxmn nana 1 ? V>yia m Va 'a .a^aaV aVa vm Vain nxi -p-uai -psy npai .x^nn 
D'oaiaa D^aV an^aa ^uiyD au?v nnxv : 115 nnx mpaai . 114, nxD nanxi 

.it nvib 010*3 i^n nnv ny^ in .NSDnjix r^ 1 ? n^sy^iax nmp ^ n™ox 

.129 m»na ,|VnV ixaTO jniiVQ imVx n Dim onaiV nnu?m 
.312 ,749 n'onsn nnoon v 'D ; X9 *}i J801 t 7"»n3 pm* v, o 112 
min 1 n^n dVid 1003^ nx^nn mpa xin m vup .X72-371 ^ ,8° 148 d^it v, d 1 13 
idoV inv pis nsw ido*? hdit ptyVn .227-226 'Qi? .nbapn ,diV^ nxi .t^^x 
by Tixtt you?n rrsyViax Vu; noo ^ ox ,5 myn ,du? ,mbw ii3ow "»m ,x3n obi^n «n 

.n^yn obio iDoa tanan oiwsn 
□bio loo .210 'ay ,n">DyVi3x .Dibu? ;35i ,1582 tudodix v/ 3 ,x3n obiyn «n ido 114 
Dmiypn onnx 0^02^3 'isa "D'asVn wiizti" 3'oia .227 'ay ,nbnp^ ooia n ,l 7yn 
n , »ai , 7i3 v '33 ."□'•airnn onoon nonab pu7Xi unaur naiDan 113^3 .bxn oty mDtn3 
nisTn manpan mViyon ]-»3i .uniDan Dtr;n mom mxma ,X55 *p ,2914 nu^^aixn 
yop3 .aVian nTT odu3 Da nxi .D^aDb onaa n^^Vi n'aynn .nVaon Da maaa it 
u?miVa m^x "i DU73 D^xDian DH31V nn^m ; 406 'ay .no 1 •'pio .aibur n ,- by X3in^ 



Ty nu?xn u;xiV V'nmv : 105 nmrn nViysa moyViax nai nx u?idV nny Vaia 
Q"pV o^n D'na naiau? man ,wxm a^pV D'ai^xi a^na naiau? nVanp 
."nnx mai xs*»i ,nnm hdidh a»w>bw a^na 'n man moa xapn 
,vxn — nspna naiiz; mro mTya pai mna ,u?xi Vy }xa naiiD 'a pso fx 
nvmxa t^no^ mi?ya jxa a^ ,xan aViyn «n naoa iDa .^id ,(HDip 'Vix) xa>p 
iDoa iV'xi ,aVi^n nx xinaV na — |xa ; ana^xn Vy p'DTnV ,a"y p au? 
nViys m^o n^aa it np^ao ."yaun nx ma^y na — xan aViyn »n 

.pya^n aipD nx m^sV u^n nvmxn nx xuaV u; 1 ' :a*»ai^ 
nmm nV mVyn aVio iaoa oVia mxinan np^aun nxan 'Dixn 
a*»aiy;nn ima^n 'a^ -pn» ,nVDa nVa oy^a ,nana>n p^nyo naoa .^uiaVx 
np^aaun mx"»n ^aV . 106 xan aViyn "n "iddi Vawn mx idd — mayViax bw 

: 107 ian?:n ama .V^yVn 

iBai ams^n Va i^yai a^axVan ixiaa aVi^V^i aansi nvmx a^an "»a 
Va nwyV ]Dsy nvmxn yaoa vr> p npV a^ai ,aanV u?xn yaua 
viv 108l ?"nx m m'yi .nyiai noana amx an^at^V ni^pam mrn 
a'X'aan Va ixu? pi .71x1 wnw ixiaa anau? nrmx ^nsV VxVsa mn 
vn anyiam aVi^Vai nvmxn «)ims mysaxa mi mn Vaaw a^monm 
ixiaa la'SDu? ioai .mu?xia mo a^aanDi mxVaai a^o: onzny 

.xin nV nrnt^i xnaa xna xai^ 109 iam^Vna 

nnaTnV a^xan (n 
maTnV anVan a^xanV maya .awn mamV np^aaon ^id nx lanx^n^ inxV 
ny^3^" : ll0 Vai^n mx iaoa .iVx a^xan mayViax nxnn insoo anwa .it 
imanm psy on;p mpaa nVy^V pipnn hth "raaan awn nx maTnV nsinu? 
aViyn mauma Vao i^aai paV nnui -|nViTV ^Vip yow xVu? inro aipaa 
nn^V psy pm Vxnw ynbx nxnpV panv : 111 xan aViyn «n naoai ; "ntn 

.131 'ay .T'DyVax .brx 105 

.161 'ay .(mum) 33 ido nnp ,diVu? 'a ;T-Vy OD*ra 106 

.165 'ay ,DU/ 107 

.x"y na ^1 mD-13 ^33 108 

.3"y no f]! pnnao ,l ?33 109 

.X109 *\1 233 JP'UXI v '3 ,V3U?n H1X 1DD 110 

DODun "]ina .210 'ay .n^ybiax ,diVw ;35i ?\i ,1582 miDODix V 'D ,x3n Dbiyn ido 111 

Ch. G. Nauert, Agrippa and) D1X13 P'Oa ,137-136 'ay ,D*anT .Dlbw "]in3 ODian ,nTn 
'3 \the Crisis of Renaissance Thought, University of Illinois Press, p. 289 n. 7 



xunaa maaiann Vy nocnann pi n^ayViax f man a^ya n^Vy rnnV upw 
Vy wxin nx yayaVi "paV" pnp'3 nx .nvmxn nx psV w : manna nanu?an 

.D^rro roia Vu; nyuna o^m nx nxu?V ^xi .np^n *>d 
naiu? .niDTnn -pVnna van Van a^an^ai d^u? D^ana Vu? m aiV^u? 
x'anV nrx rrayV'nx Vu? mans .mnnxn mp^aaana iaV anTn Vaa pDiVnV 
,n3nau? niann n'-Vy nmx nnoV ax 'a ,nnan n'-Vy nanmn Vu? napnV 
Vy pT imx3 3iu?nV nu>p 'a iy ,™Vwd Viz? p Vd 3i iaoa yaaV na Ionian 
.ananan mau?n i3Va xu?ia V3a narnnn mnua p .inx xu?na 
jinu 122 8an oVivn w n ido3 .nvrnB mxxw aa n'taao ranon faxan 
aiVu?n Vx arana aVwn aixV xa yau?;iu? xvt laV^x nVapn "O" ^ayViax 

124 Vip dttxi nn ^^aa^ou? mau? i"3 T3Tnu? inx pu?xi pioan 
unVu? 'aa mau? (mi=) nyaixn anu?y marn nnx naau? xm nanan ."pan 
n*>Vau?n mV'ysn naia it n^aixna n^Vy .pnoua ay yaa mrV iu?dx nvmx 
,"nnaa mxuoDX" Vu? nnuopa n^yVnax Vu? m ,r nn nx htovd m3Tnn ny3 
naai3na np^cra rrayVi3x nnna xnsaV px . 125, poV nn^ana Vu? ma^an 'sV 
aiu?ai nsaixa x*n int^u? .an pT ni3U?aan nvnn n^V imx x*anV m^y iu?x 
nnan ipanV narnnn nnu?axa pKt^ n>V .dxbtco moannn pT -]u?a p 

.ai pt pixV nsaixa 
xan oViyn »n -pnV nnxp mn^V pi nxnn xti n^ayViax Viz; mo^ 
laixTiu? np^aaon naan nx VapV ntpp ,p awa .nm aVnyn "nV m'no mTm 
.n^VD^m rnsun mV^sn nni nD/Dan . 126 n^^y nnas^nV pi nxmnD V^yV 
ptnn^ no by ,wanV .n'DyVmx mino nmya ^DiaD^nn n^Dn nx na^DXDn 
p"tt Vd Vnn^i o^o'asm D^aixnn p-inx i^Vna .iDDan ^Vd^h yDu;n ^Vss 
'3 x^nn nya man D"3yu7 p^ya ai^nnv iy nprm nVna myu; nyn^nV 

. l27 ' r m3nu7 no nrrorm nnwna nno^ an "]ino "[di^o i^Da niDn*' 
□u;n no^a Vy nooiaon pi 'hit in^yVnax Vw np^aaua payo tja^n p^a 
,na;ran naiV .pip^ai vnvmx bw mo^pn nvn^bxn Vaa i^iidoh 
nx otu n^yViax nV^xi . 128/ 'xan oViyV pVn iV "fx vnvmxa own nx rmnrr 

.X53 ^"f ,1582 TTIDDDIK V 'D 122 

^ ,n D"»Ttt?n TU? 123 

.3 DU? 124 

. M. Laski, Ecstasy, New York 1968, pp. 47 ff. 125 

.117 rron >yV nxi 126 

.352 «p ,1582 ni9D31K V/ D ,X3H oViyn M n 1D0 127 

.3"y x «p pnnao ,l ?33 128 



mmxV ."i^Vona inaiD ^xm p'Vo ix ^naa Va Vy a^in ix omno 
ns' pa^y Txmr -ry nam mna pVnn nV^Va dx" :nxnnn nDDimo it jmnoo 
pi n'DyViax Vu; iVx mxnn rmna .nna^nn npina nyiV . 116// nD ,> 
ht i^ayV aiu;a . 117 inro laxaa n*»ainV no^au? ^a .n^^y nnas^nV nxn n»n 

.□nam ^Dna 

D'ann *»sV nrmxn nx p^V Vaipon V*»nnD ,iVx a^xan xV*»du? inxV 
Vnnv : 118 "aVn awn" x^n iVx d^ditv Vu? nn^nn moon >yV iaix*»nu? 
paV Dn* wk iy mrnaa aVjiVaVi dddhV man oy mosio nvmx p^V 
liaV on ia3u? p ^ann^ai aViaV^a rVmw noai anyiana t^u;^ an-'VaVaa 
naVan naoai . ,19 "nan yauran yau? VapV pio nnx ia3T ... on^n'xa ixa txd 
niDmso mVan p'orau? ^i^n no py3 *»ax pnamnrc no Danxv' : 120 iDxa 
mo^a nax dhdV 121 pnx nara naoa ."aVn oian ^no 'nVx nno t 1 ?^ n ^n 
naana nrno nyian3 aya^u? pns o^Vyan iVx Van" :ht a^uiD Vu? naiu? 

."nnwm pu?nn nVuiai n3u?nan 
np'aaun Vu? maix na3na ynan xin nau?nan tx aVn awn 3"»dtd 
paV .nxiaan Vx n^yVi3x Vu? ian 'a'an» pa jrmn .y^a n^ayViaxu? 
iaxu?a *»xmau? .D'ansV iaya .myunV ViVy .DTxa^rna ix nava dtoo 
V-'yaan > mVi3" > Dan paaaan na , »n3a hdV nmpo pi n^yVi3x y^a .pinaa 
nva^n ,navn — myirn nip ,> a3D3u; ny3 .n^Vx a^aau? nu?inn nynnn nx 
,VV3 pi3 hdiu?d nViana H'-Vy '3T» nan mu?n xti hiddh — DTxa^rnm 



cpDyn-nxwo p"? nasn "jnVKu? m^y 1 ? .... nnmo" :38i '»y ,290 jto *" 33 (pi^VQ) 
hdi iwk-i3 vVdh mbm pi^D n^K3 113 a«n onon noa3n3 p3iz?nai "inaiD mm 

."onwaaa oxipn ... iidtdh irtb oriDQ ynrr 

.X109 «]1 ,233 JP'DXI V 'D ,5dU7H ISO 115 

.227 '»y ,n^p3 , " , D ,D1^ ;K52 «]T ,1582 TVI2D31X '"3 ,X2n oVlVH «n 1DD 116 

M. Bowers S, Glasner, 4t Autohypnotic Aspects of the Kabbalistic Concept of 117 
^U? .Kavanah", Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis 6 (1958), pp. 3-23 

VToVm n- , Di? , 7i3x nmx oi^u? u Vu? msoa y»Dion ionn bv o^onoa onsnon 
nn^nn *3 ,rynV ^iKii p .V"non mte^nn-nnsoV mnwpn myow na o'nnsoi 
11QK03 13D niPDio n'oxy rrn39n Vu? iKnn xin n33ion V«? njxooDxn 3son^ 

"Die Sektenfrommigkeit der Therapeuten", MGJVJ1S (1934), p. JXOTTI pnr bw 

.110. n.l 

C. Rowland, "The Visions of God in nm D^ltt? D^ip^DCO Vxx mnn nwnn Vy 118 
.Apocalyptic Literature", Journal for the Study of Judaism 10 (1979), p. 141 and n. 10 

.X52 qi ,1582 TV1D031X V 'D ,X3H dViVH "n 1D0 119 

.X293 *fl ,680 Dns V 'D 120 
• N73 ^1 ,8° 148 ErVttnY V 'D 121 



own ntra ->T>-bv xpir? xan oViyn "nb yun^ iwax — mmn -pirnn 
.maiyn nx^aa .ttmaan awn nx nxw 1 ? no^xn *?y mm nray *»m: .umaan 
nyam wis 1 ? . 129 it n^ya Vy nan d'tvd as^x .vuano x 1 ? *|*n rrayViax x*w 
.Vxn awa ima^n "73i3 onyun naynnn inx mpaa '3 .Tatrft m ,pn nxsv 
'ysox Vxn icwa nnxn nwx ,1913 rutra rrom n&pw mm nsmrfr *nma 
x-od n^ann ran awn "no^a *a ,nr&xn ny-unn mn .nor nruppnnV npn? 
•uaro it n^sn t^d .hidthh nViya asy n^y iD*y bxn ay ^anon TimxV 

. 130 xTHzrt> Vxn aw nx nxw 1 ? px "»a .an^nan 
.^yl? mx'nu; *jnn nx na nuaa ai^w 'iran *?y T»nV "nxm p f *p03^ 
ip-'yw aiwa ) 131 "n^ , :s rraxn" pya> mot^n pi2 rwn xm mmpD naaa 
aa nwV -wax *o ,o-u mayViax .mxn *w w»n nn:an nx nw 1 ? x^n nnrna 
xti pw /'n^xa yrr nam nx maab «p p-'aV ; 132 wa:in nx ajn yaon nx 
x^nw .nnp^n nnma nx .'awnn yaon nx mawV nnwax*?- a^ya 1 ? man 
nwV xnu?-|VD3 nnwb ."mx»" xVi "np^atr aw 1 ? rmxn .wasn Vy yawn 1 ? 
a* pa in^nw awa ,myTin nx mm 1 ? ,nxn:a .mayVox rrWn pinn nx 

.annx Dmp'toca 



myra >yV maun nx3ian inx 1 ? cxan pinVa irrVx '1*7 convan D"n3Y? nwn 129 

X 1 ?! DIHDU; DWa 3WW1 ... IDT HD1 mTaV Y»3D1 T»3ia Vy y-D"' D'TIXY' : 1 14 

pi □t'dthV f»Ki dtg rrV? npin ppn Vy ipbrina nrrnx 'i Tm ... vriDwa inxua*' 
Ty^n] yrn ^x" : 210 'ay ,919 ]iw v '3a .(381 'ay ,290 pw v, d) "ona ina^nn psV 
133 ^ ra-n Vdd invan Du?n "•xiVdd u^n 1 ? Viu pwn 'o^ya wjnn pay pi pn:r 
nawxnn Q3qx .v"»i vxt n t '•n nn xn 'n htd nyaix nyanx vxim x"nn ''Dm^ nyT 
bxi n'^nn nvmx xipn p -]u?D3 ^ iou?n nnyi hd 13*73 inx n^D 
TiVxn it nxi xnn o^iyV p^n ]^x oariDx iu?x3 vnrmxa own nx rrnnn "»d oanan 

."DH3 pi3nn D3DX "»tt?S3 HX 
R. Fulop-Miller, The Mind and Face of .71 myn TV ,1 ^yo ,^ p")D .J^n 1 ? nxm 130 
npo ^ y*32f» 1U7X ,13nDn .Bolshevism, London — New York 1927, pp. 258-260 

.nz^ *7U7 ^o^a Vy xin ooiaon .DTxa'rn 1 ? *]u?on na nxn ,|iva oinx ina ny^nn 
.m pro ~\wpb nnDin "?d px "jx ."rrmrrn ntap'a nt^Dnn mpo "»3 (260 'oya) jyitn 

.145 *ay .o^an ,diVv 13 1 
.133-129 'ay .rrsyVnx .Vtx nxi 132 



Techniques for Attaining Ecstasy 



Abraham Abulafia's system differs from that of other me- 
dieval Jewish thinkers in presenting a detailed, systematic path 
enabling the seeker to attain to mystical experience. In this sys- 
tem various concepts used to describe reality by Arab and Jewish 
philosophers are transformed into subjects of personal experi- 
ence by means of a suitable technique. This technique paves 
the way toward the zenith of mysticism: the total unity between 
man's intellect and the supreme Being, whether this is under- 
stood as God or as the Active Intellect, While other medieval 
thinkers as well saw this experience as their soul's desire, which 
they strove to attain with all their strength, we irev e ruleless do 
not find in philosophical works of this period any detailed, spe- 
cific instructions as to the means of realizing such contact. The 
discussions by R. Abraham ibn Ezra and Maimonides and by 
their disciples concerning the nature of 'prophecy/ in which they 
saw the hallmark of this ideal experience are not to be read as 
concrete instructions, rooted in a specific path toward the real- 
ization of the desired goal They rather describe a phenomenon 
from the distant past, namely, Biblical prophecy, without claim- 
ing although not explicitly denying that similar experiences are 
possible within their own generation. 

In my opinion, the path propounded by Abulafia in his 
books is an adaptation of the Jewish mystical traditions which he 
had learned from the Ashkenazi world of Franco-Germany to the 



spiritual needs of Jews educated within the philosophical schools 
of Spain and Italy, which primarily thought in Maimonidean 
concepts. To these were added elements originating in mysti- 
cal techniques outside of Judaism — Greek-Orthodox hesychasm, 
Indian Yoga and possibly also Sufism. The last-mentioned is, 
however, primarily visible in the writings of his students, rather 
than in Abulafia's own writings. We shall therefore begin by 
describing the elements of technique as they appear in the writ- 
ings of Abulafia and his disciples. As recitation of the Divine 
Names was the main technique developed by this school, we 
shall begin our discussion with this topic, 



1, The Ecstatic Character of the Recitation 
of the Divine Names 

The recitation of the Name or Names of God as a means 
of attaining ecstasy is a widely-known mystical practice, play- 
ing a significant role in techniques known from India, Tibet, 
and Japan, in Islam and in Orthodox Christianity, We shall not 
discuss these techniques in a detailed way here; some will be 
mentioned again at the end of this chapter for purposes of com- 
parison with the material found in Abulafia. Before discussing 
Abulafia's system, however, we shall examine the Jewish prece- 
dents for use of the Divine Names in order to achieve changes 
in human consciousness, In late antiquity, in Hekaldt Rabbati, we 

When a man wishes to ascend to the Merkabdh, he calls to 

■ 

Suryah the Prince of the Presence, and adjures him one hun- 
dred and twelve times with the Name iwtrsyy h\ which is 
read twtrsy'y swrtq twtrky'l twfgr 'srwyly'y zbwdyl wzhrry'l tnd'l 
sqhwzy* dhybwryn w'dyrryrwn Ha- Sent Etohey Yisra 5 eL He may 
neither add nor subtract from these one hundred and twelve 
times — for were he to add or subtract he might lose his life — 
but he shall recite the names with his mouth, and the fingers 



of his hands shall count one hundred twelve times — and im- 
mediately he descends to and rules the Merkdbdh. 1 



A similar passage appears in another treatise belonging 
to this literature: 

His mouth utters names and the fingers of his hands count one 
hundred eleven times; so shall whoever makes use of this as- 
pect [i.e., technique], let his mouth utter names and the fingers 
of his hands count one hundred eleven times, and he must not 
subtract from these names, for if he adds or subtracts, he may 
lose his life, 2 

Both these passages would seem to imply that this refers 
to an established custom connected with the "descent to the 
Merkabah." Similar methods were used during the Gaonic pe- 
riod; in one of his responsa, R Hai Gaon (939-1038) writes: 

And Likewise [regarding] a dream question: there were several 
elders and pious men who [lived] with us who knew them [the 
Names] and fasted for several days, neither eating meat nor 
drinking wine, [staying] in a pure place and praying and recit- 
ing great and well-known verses and [their] letters by number, 
and they went to sleep and saw wondrous dreams similar to 
a prophetic vision. 3 

In another responsa, R. Hai Gaon testifies that: 

Many scholars thought that, when one who is distinguished 
by many qualities described in the books seeks to behold the 
Merkabah and the palaces of the angels on high, he must follow 
a certain procedure. He must fast a number of days and place 
his head between his knees and whisper many hymns and 
songs whose texts are known from tradition. Then he will 
perceive within himself and in the chambers [of his heart] as if 
he saw the seven palaces with his own eyes, and as though he 
had entered one palace after another and seen what is there, 4 

The former passage from EL Hai Gaon refers to "great and 
well-known verses and letters by number"; G. Vajda contends 



that the sense of the phrase, letters by number, refers to groups 
of letters which equal one another in their numerical value (i.e., 
gematria). 5 In my opinion, this in fact refers to the use of the 
Divine Name of seventy-two letters: the "great and well-known 
verses" are probably the three verses, Exodus 14:19-21, each one 
of which contains seventy-two letters in the Hebrew original, i.e., 
"letters in number/ 7 The second quotation also seems to me to 
be connected with the use of Divine Names. In Sefer lia-Aruk of 
R. Nathan b. Jehiel of Rome (1035-ca, 1110), we again read in the 
name of R. Hai Gaon, that "Pardes is that which is expounded 
in Hekaldt Rabbati and Hekaldt Zutrati; i.e., that they would perform 
certain actions, and pray in purity, and use the crown and see 
the Hekaldt and the bands of angels in their position, and see how 
there was one chamber after another, and one within another/' 6 
G. Scholem has suggested that the expression "use the crown" 
signifies the use of the Divine Name. 7 A younger contemporary 
of R. Hai Gaon, Rabbenu Hanannel, many of whose ideas were 
borrowed from the works of R. Hai, likewise writes about the 
sages who entered Pardes, stating that they "prayed and cleansed 
themselves of all impurity, and fasted and bathed themselves 
and became pure, and they used the names and gazed at the 
Hekalot/'* In Rashi's opinion, the ascent to heaven signifying 
the entry into Pardes was performed "by means of a name." 9 

Similar testimony appears among the Ashkenazic Hasid- 
im; Sefer ha-Hayyim f attributed to R, Abraham ibn Ezra, presents 
an interesting description reflecting the widespread use of 
Names: 

A vision (mar eh) occurs when a man is awake and reflects 
upon the wonders of God, or when he does not reflect upon 
them, but pronounces the Holy Names or those of the angels, 
in order that he be shown (whatever] he wishes or be informed 
of a hidden matter— and the Holy Spirit then reveals itself to 
him, and he knows that he is a worm and that his flesh is like 
a garment, and he trembles and shakes from the power of the 
Holy Spirit, and is unable to stand it. Then that man stands up 
like one who is faint, and does not know where he is standing, 



nor does he see or hear or feel his body but his soul sees and 
hears and this is called vision and sight, and this is the matter 
of most prophecy. 10 



The disputant of the anonymous author of Sefer ha- 
Hayyim t K Moses Taku (ca. 1235), describes a similar technique 
in a surviving fragment of his book, Ketab Tammlm: 



And two of those who were lacking in knowledge [among] the 
schismatics {thought] to make themselves prophets, and they 
were accustomed to recite Holy Names, and at times performed 
kawwanot during this recitation, and the soul was astounded, 
and the body fell down and was exhausted. But for such as 
these there is no barrier to the soul, and the soul becomes 
the principal thing [in their constitution] and sees afar; [but] 
after one hour, when the power of that Name which had been 
mentioned departs, he returns to what he was, with a confused 
mind. 11 



The last two passages corroborate one another: during 
the procedures of reciting the Names, the body trembles vio- 
lently, freeing the soul from its dependence upon the senses and 
creating a new form of consciousness. The process is in both 
cases compared to prophecy; one should note that prophecy is 
also mentioned, in a similar context, in R. Hai Gaon's previously 
quoted words: "similar to a prophetic vision/' 

R. Eleazar of Worms (ca. 1165-ca.l230, the Roqeah), a con- 
temporary of the above-mentioned anonymous author of Sefer 
ha-Hayyim f also knew the technique of recitation of the Names of 
God — a usage likely to bring about results similar to those men- 
tioned in the works of R Hai Gaon or in Sefer ha-Hayyim. These 
are his comments in Sefer ha-Hokmah: 12 

abg yts 13 — these are the six letters, each and every letter [stand- 
ing for] a [Divine] name in its own right: 11 A - Adiriron; B 
- Bihariron; G - Gihariron; Y - Yagbihayah; T - Talmiyah; S - 
Satnitayah. By rights, one oughtn't to write everything or to 
vocalize them, lest those lacking in knowledge and those taken 



(sicf — should be "striken") in understanding and of negligible 
wisdom use them. However, Abraham our father passed on 
the name of impurity to the children of the concubines, in or- 
der that they not know the future by means of idolatry. 15 Thus, 
some future things and spirits were revealed to us by means of 
the [Divine] attributes, through the pronunciation of the depths 
of the Names, in order to know the spirit of wisdom— thus far 
the Sefer Yirqah. 16 

K Eleazar of Worm's statements reflect an awareness of 
the antiquity of involvement in Divine Names and their recita- 
tion as a means of acquiring knowledge of the future or various 
wisdoms; the patriarch Abraham already knew these secrets and 
attempted to conceal them from the children of the concubines, 
and they were subsequently passed down from generation to 
generation until the Jewish medieval mystics. The expression, 
"pronunciation of the depths of the names/' is particularly in- 
teresting in light of the fact that Abulafia-who explicitly admits 
to R Eleazar' s influence^was to see his own Kabbalah, that of 
Names, as the deepest path within the Jewish esoteric tradition. 
All of these quotations share the fact that they were formulated 
outside of the framework of the great speculative systems of the 
age- the Aristotelian and the Neopla tonic Indeed, they reflect 
those types of approaches which Mircea Eliade, the scholar of 
comparative religions, would designate as "shamanistic" 

Upon the emergence of philosophy, the use of Divine 
Names became transformed into a means for realizing forms 
of consciousness which transcend the ordinary frame of mind, 
R. Isaac ibn Latif (ca, 1210~ca. 1280) writes in Ginzey ha-Melek: 17 

The attainment of [knowledge of] the existence of God is 
the highest form, including three kinds of comprehension 
(liasagah), 1 * which are: conceptual comprehension, prophetic 
comprehension, and that comprehension which is hidden until 
the coming of the Righteous one, who shall teach [it]. The first 
kind is the comprehension of the existence of a first cause for 
all 1 things], by means of conclusive proofs: this is speculative 



philosophical comprehension, grasped through knowledge of 
those things which exist apart from the First Cause. The sec- 
ond kind is comprehension that the First Cause acts by a sim- 
ple will, designated as spiritual speech, and this is [known as] 
prophetic comprehension, grasped by means of the Divine in- 
flux emanated upon the prophets by knowledge of the secret of 
His glorious names, through the comprehension of each one of 
them and of their wholeness; this level is one to which the mas- 
ter of conceptual speculation has no entry, The third kind is 
comprehension of this knowledge by means of the Name which 
is completely and utterly hidden [and] described as within, and 
this is the essence and the highest of all comprehensions, and 
it is this one which is reserved in the future for those who fear 
God and take into account His name [Malachi 3:16], 

The first kind of understanding mentioned here is that of 
natural theology based upon philosophy, which is the province 
of "scholars of speculation." The second is a combination of the 
approach of R, Solomon ibn Gabirol (ca, 1020-ca,1057; known in 
Latin as "Avicebrol"), which asserts the identity of will and the 
approach of speech, 19 and speculation upon the Divine Names. 
At the time,, this explicit connection between prophecy and con- 
templation of the Divine Names was an unusual one and, in my 
opinion, is indicative of the penetration into Ibn Latif' s thought 
of a view from one of Abulafia 's sources. The third kind of 
comprehension mentioned above involves the hidden Name of 
God; this is an allusion to the name ^hwy, which was considered 
the hidden name of God both by the circle of Sefer ha-'lyyun and 
by Abulafia. 20 The similarity to Abulafia is particularly great as 
both Abulafia and Ibn Latif believed that knowledge of the hid- 
den name of God will be realized in the times of Messiah. In 
"Osdr "Eden Gdnuz, Abulafia writes: 21 

What we have seen in some of the books of those sages 22 con- 
cerning the division of the names is that one who has knowl- 
edge of their essence will have a great and wondrous superior- 
ity in Torah and wisdom and prophecy above all his contem- 
poraries. These are the things which God has chosen above all 



else in the world of the soul; therefore, He has given them to 
the soul in potentia, and when they go from potentia to acta, the 
soul acts on another soul, so that the souls are renewed, and 
this knowledge shall save many souls from SheoL 

Three different approaches to the Divine Names appear 
in this passage: that true knowledge of the names is liable to 
make one wise; that they are capable of bringing an individual 
to the level of prophecy, i.e., to a mystical experience; and that 
they contain hidden powers to change reality by "renewal" of 
souls- All three of the approaches combined here— the infor- 
mative, the magical, and the ecstatic— were present within the 
circle of Kabbalists whom Abulafia knew. R. Moses b. Simeon 
of Burgos, described by Abulafia as one of his students, writes: 

It is truly known that those prophets who concentrated in- 
tensely in deed and in thought, more so than other people of 
their species, and whose pure thoughts cleaved to the Rock of 
the World with purity and great cleanliness that the supernal 
Divine will intended to show miracles and wonders through 
them, to sanctify His great Name, and that they received an 
influx of the supernal inner emanation by virtue of the Di- 
vine names, to perform miraculous actions in physical things, 
working changes in nature, 23 

These words of R Moses of Burgos indicate that a tech- 
nique for receiving prophetic flow by means of Divine Names 
was known in Spain in the second half of the thirteenth century. 
As we shall see below in the chapter on prophecy and music, 
Abulafia's approach to music was likewise known to the circle 
of R, Moses of Burgos. 

Before we continue to analyze Abulafia's technique, I 
should like to mention one feature common to all the passages 
quoted above: namely, that they refer to the Divine Names as 
distinct linguistic units, which the one 'prophesying' must repeat 
several times. In these passages, the Name is not broken down 
into a multitude of units, which constantly change by means 



of different combinations and vocalizations. This technique of 
breaking-down or atomizing the Name is the most distinctive 
characteristic of Abulafia's technique; the Holy Name contains 
within itself 'scientific' readings of the structure of the world and 
its activities, thereby possessing both an 'informative' character 
and magical powers. It is reasonable to assume that both qual- 
ities are associated with the peculiar structure of the Name, 24 
However, in Abulafia's view this structure must be destroyed in 
order to exploit the 'prophetic' potential of these Names and to 
create a series of new structures by means of letter-combinations. 
In the course of the changes taking place in the structure of the 
Name, the structure of human consciousness likewise changes. 
As Abulafia indicated in a number of places, 25 the Divine Name 
is inscribed upon man's soul, making it reasonable to assume 
that the process of letter-combination worked upon the name is 
understood as occurring simultaneously in the human soul: "In 
the thoughts of your mind combine and be purified/' 26 We shall 
now see how the Divine Names are used as a means of attain- 
ing mystical experience or, as Abulafia writes, 27 "in the name 
my intellect found a ladder to ascend to the heights of vision." 

Just as the letters themselves generally appear on three 
levels — writing, speech and thought 28 — so do the Names of God; 
one must 'recite' the Names first in writing, then verbally, and 
finally mentally. The act of writing the combination of the let- 
ters of the Divine Names is mentioned in several places in the 
writings of Abulafia and his followers, only two of which we 
shall cite here: "Take the pen and the parchment and the ink, 
and write and combine Names" 29 and, in Santrey Sedeq™ "when 
midnight passed [over] me and the quill is in my hand and the 
paper on my knees." 

The second level, that of verbal articulation, is more com- 
plex, including several components which must be analyzed sep- 
arately: 1) the seeker of mystical experience must sing the letters 
and their vocalization (this point will be discussed separately in 
the chapter on music and prophecy); 2) he must maintain a fixed 



rhythm of breathing; 3) his head must be moved in accordance 
with the vocalization of the letter pronounced; 4) he must con- 
template the internal structure of the human being. These last 
three procedures will be discussed below at greater length. 

The third level involves the mental combination of the Di- 
vine Names: "Know that mental [letter-}combination performed 
in the heart brings forth a word, [the latter] being [the result of 
the letter-]combination, entirely mental and bom from the sphere 
of the intellect/' 31 A brief description of the movement from one 
level to another appears in *6sar "Edm Ganuz? 2 

One must take the letters *ms yhw, first as instructed in the 
written form which is an external thing, to combine them, and 
afterwards one takes them from the book with their combina- 
tions, and transfers them to one's tongue and mouth, and pro- 
nounces them until one knows them by heart. Afterwards, he 
shall take them from his mouth [already] combined, and trans- 
fer them to his heart, and set his mind to understand what is 
shown him in every language that he knows, until nothing is 
left of them. 

An explicit process of interiorization is presented here: the 
letters of the Divine Name undergo a process of 'purification' by 
which they are transformed from tangible letters, existing out- 
side of the intellect, into intellective letters, existing in the heart. 
This process is one of construction of the intellect, beginning with 
sensibUia and ending in intelligibilia. Thus, through the com- 
bination of the letters on all three levels, one may arrive at the 
highest level of consciousness: prophecy, or mystical experience. 
Several passages shall be cited below indicating that this tech- 
nique allows a 'prophet' to achieve unique spiritual attainments. 
The Castilian Kabbalist R. Isaac b. Solomon ibn Abi Sahula, a 
contemporary of Abulafia, writes: "It is known that when he re- 
ceived this verse (I am that I am [Ex. 3:14]), Moses our teacher, 
of blessed memory, attained the very essence of wisdom and 
the highest level in the renewal of miracles and wonders, by the 



combination of its letters." 33 The process of attaining wisdom is 
described in impressive terms in Abulafia's Hayyey ha-Nefes: 

And begin by combining this name, namely, YHWH, at the 
beginning alone, and examine all its combinations and move 
it and turn it about like a wheel returning around, front and 
back, like a scroll, and do not let it rest, but when you see its 
matter strengthened because of the great motion, because of the 
fear of confusion of your imagination and the rolling about of 
your thoughts, and when you let it rest, return to it and ask [it] 
until there shall come to your hand a word of wisdom from it, 
do not abandon it. Afterwards go on to the second one from 
it, Adonay, and ask of it its foundation [yesodo] and it will 
reveal to you its secret [sodo]. And then you will apprehend 
its matter in the truth of its language. Then join and combine 
the two of them [YHWH and Adonay], and study them and ask 
them, and they will reveal to you the secrets of wisdom, and 
afterwards combine this which is, namely, "El Sadday, which 
is tantamount to the Name [ ? El Sadday = 345 = ha-$etn], and it 
will also come in your portion. Af terwards combine *EIohim, 
and it will also grant you wisdom, and then combine the four 
of them, and find the miracles of the Perfect One [i.e., God], 
which are miracles of wisdom. 34 

From this passage, as well as from the one cited above 
from "Osar c Eden Ganuz, we learn that one must combine the let- 
ters of a given Name, and then combine them in turn with the 
combinations of the letters of another Name. This activity is re- 
ferred to by Abulafia by the term Ma'aseh Merkdbah i.e., the act 
of combining [harkavah] the letters of one Name in another which 
brings about the receiving of metaphysical knowledge, i.e., the 
standard meaning of Mn*aseh Merkdbah in Abulafian Kabbalah. In 
Sifer ha J 6t, p, 75, we read: 

One who concentrates upon the Ineffable Name which is com- 
bined in twelve ways— six of them inverted— which causes the 
grandeur of Israel, shall rejoice in it, and the joy and happiness 
and gladness will combine in the heart of each one who seeks 



the name, in the name Yh y whdyhnwh "Eloha 'El Sadday YHWH 
Sewaot. 

m 



The first and second of these Names are combinations of 
one Name within another; YHWH - ADNY - YHWH - YHWH™ 



2. Combinations of Letters of the Divine Names 

frequently used 



in letter-combination are the Name of seventy-two letters, whose 
combinations are mostly described in Hayyey ha- 01dm ha-Ba>, and 
the Tetragrammaton (the Name of Four Letters or the "Ineffable 
Name"), details of whose combinations are discussed in 'Or ha- 
Sekel. We shall begin our discussion with the latter. 



The method of combination expounded in Sefer 'Or ha- 
Sekel is exemplified by the use of the letter Aleph, which is com- 
bined in turn with each of the letters of the Tetragrammaton, so 
that one arrives at four combinations, as follows: >y >h >w >h. Each 
of these units is in turn vocalized by every possible permutation 
of the five vowels, holam, qamas, hiriq, sere, qubus, in the sequence 
of both >y and y>, and so on. One thereby derives four tables, 
each containing fifty vocalized combinations. The following is 
an example of one of these tables: 36 



I* 

* 


e « 














**• 

t? * 






:? 


% 


* _ _ 



This table, as we have mentioned, is one of four in which 
the letter "Alef is combined with the four letters of the Divine 
Names. But, as Abulafia states in the book, it is not only by 
chance that he 'chose' this form of combination as an example; 
in his view, the letter 'Alef constitutes part of the hidden Divine 
Name, *hwy. 37 However, this explanation seems a kind of exegesis 
of material which he already found in his earlier sources. In one 
of the works of R. Eleazar of Worms (ca. 1165-ca. 1230), we find 
a combination-technique quite similar to that of Abulafia; in this 
technique, the letter 'Alef is also combined with each of the four 
letters of the Tetragrammaton, each unit being vocalized by two 
vowels. We shall cite one example: 38 



2* 



3 

a 



Ti L 



B 



The main difference between Abuiafia's table and R. 
Eleazar's one lies in the total number of vowels used: rather 
than five vowels, 39 as in Abulafia, in R. Eleazar there are six, 
by means of the addition of the shewa. The total number of 
combinations thereby increases geometrically. In my opinion, 
Abulafia adapted an Ashkenazic system of combination to the 
Sephardic system of vocalization, based upon five major vowels; 
the sewa, counted as a vowel by the Ashkenazim, disappeared, 
thereby decreasing the total number of vocalized combinations. 
Abulafia, for whom this system of combination was exemplified 
by the use of the letter Wef and the other letters of the Ineffable 
Name, saw this as an allusion to his view that the Name >huy is 
the Hidden Name of God. 

Whereas the system described above is based upon a 
square, each of whose sides contains a different combination 
of the letters of the Divine Name, the system found in Hayyey 



fm-'Oldm iw-Bir is based upon the circle. The name of seventy- 
two letters is recited while contemplating circles, each of which 
contains nine letters out of the 216 letters of the Name; one 
thereby arrives at a system of twenty-four circles, containing 
in toto all in all the Name of seventy-two letters. It seems to 
me that the source of this system can also be identified; in the 
longer commentary to Exodus by R. Abraham ibn Ezra (1089- 
1164), the author describes the mathematical qualities of the let- 
ters constituting the Ineffable Name, and thereafter writes that 
"all of the numbers are nine from one direction, and ten from 
the other direction. If one writes the nine in a circle, and dou- 
bles over the end with every number, one will find the units 
on the left side, and the tens, which are like units, on the right 
side." 40 It seems unlikely to assume that Abulafia based his sys- 
tem in Hayyey hi J Qldm ha-Ba* upon circles of nine letters by mere 
chance, without any relation to the above quotation from Ibn 
Ezra's commentary. 41 

As was the case in the adaptation of R. Eleazar of Worm's 
system of combination to the Sephardic system of grammar, here 
Abulafia incorporated the idea of the nine-letter number into a 
circle with the seventy-two letter Name. It is worth mention- 
ing that the nine letters within a circle reappear in Abulafia's 
Sefer ha-Haftarah* 2 where they appear within the circle of the let- 
ters of the forty-two letter Name, while preserving the number 
nine. We should also note that the use of concentric circles in 
order to combine the letters of various Divine Names likewise 
appears in other works of Abulafia, such as "Imrey Sefer** and Can 
Na<ul. 4A It is also interesting to note that circles including Divine 
Names appear in Islam as well, as one learns from a study by 
G. Anawati, 45 although I have not yet found significant points 
of contact between the use of the circle in Abulafia and in the 
Arabic sources, 



3. Techniques for Recitation of the Names 

As we have seen above, the procedure for reciting the 
Name contained a number of elements, each of which shall now 
be enumerated separately 

A Breathing 

Any technique in which the pronunciation of letters occu- 
pies a central place must attach importance to proper principles 
of breathing. Discussions of breathing appear in Yoga, in Sufism 
and in Hesychasm, albeit with different emphases. 46 Abulafia's 
writings contain brief statements and allusions to a technique of 
breathing to be practiced by one who pronounces the Ineffable 
Name* We shall attempt here to analyze the fragmentary mate- 
rial which has come down to us. The most significant of these 
passages appears in Mafteah ha-Scmot* 7 where it states: 

One must take each one of the letters [of the Tetragram- 
maton] and wave it with the movements of his long breath (!) 
so that one does not breathe between two letters, but rather one 
long breath, for however long he can stand it, and afterwards 
rest for the length of one breath. He shall do the same with each 
and every letter, until there will be two breaths in each letter: 
one for pausing when he enunciates the vowel of each letter, 
and one for resting between each letter. It is known to all that 
every single breath of one's nostrils is composed of taking in 
of the air from outside, that is, mi-ba"r le-ga'w [from outside to 
inside], whose secrets allude to the attribute of Geburah and its 
nature/ by which a man is known as gibbor [mighty] — -that is, the 
word ga"w ba"r [a rearrangement of the consonants of the word 
gibbor] — for his strength by which he conquers his Urge, 48 As in 
the secret of abg yts qr stn with ygl pzq sqw syt, 49 composed of 
the emission of breath from within to outside, and this second 
composition is from g"w to b"r. 



This passage combines together two significant elements: 
the technical description of breathing, and the theoretical discus- 



sion of the meaning of breathing. The technical aspect includes 
three different elements, comprising one unit: 1) the intake of 
air, namely, breathing; 2) the emission of air while pronouncing 
the letter and its vowel; 3) the pause between one breath and the 
next. In his epistle Sebcr Netibot ha-Tdrah, p. 7, Abulafia refers to 
"the secret of the Name and the vocalization of some of its letters, 
their knowledge, and the resting breath, the interrupting [breath] 
and the extending [breath]." Comparison of the three terms used 
in Sefer Mafteah Im-Semdt indicates that the resting breath is paral- 
lel to the phrase, "he shall rest for the length of one breath"; the 
extending breath parallels the intake of air before pronouncing 
a letter, "so that he not breathe between two letters, but takes 
one long breath, as much as he is able to stand in length"; while 
the interrupting breath is parallel to the emission of air which 
accompanies the pronunciation of the letter, "one for pausing, 
as at the time of pronouncing the vowel of that letter." Abulafia 
refers to three breaths elsewhere as well, 50 but only for purposes 
of gematria, without any technical interpretation likely to assist in 
the understanding of his approach. 

The division of the breathing process into three stages 
is not new; it already appears in Yoga, in which the process 
of breathing is divided into puraka, the intake of breath; recaka, 
the emission of breath; and kumbhaka, the retention of air. 51 True, 
there is no exact parallel between the retention of breath in Yoga, 
whose aim is to use up the oxygen present in the air one breathes 
by means of slight physical effort, to the state of rest mentioned 
by Abulafia, which follows the emission of breath. It may be that 
the word 'halt,' which refers to the holding of the air in order to 
pronounce the letter of the Divine Name, is a parallel to the halt 
practiced in Yoga, but we cannot state this with any certainty. 52 In 
both systems, one arrives at an extremely slow pace of breathing, 
which is a goal in and of itself in Yoga, and in practice also in 
Abulafia. Without stating so directly, he emphasizes the need for 
a long period of emission, on the one hand, and the maximum 
exploitation of the air held in the lungs, on the other: "that he 
should not breath between two letters except for one long breath, 



for so long as he is able to stand." Indeed, in Pculat ha-Yesirah, he 
states that "one should pronounce one letter of the Name with 
a great voice, in one breath, until he exhausts his breath from 
breathing out." 5 ' 1 In 'Or ha-Sekel, he similarly states: 

When he begins to pronounce one letter with a given vocaliza- 
tion, one should remember that it alludes to the secret of the 
unity, so do not extend it more than the length of one breath 
and do not interrupt it during that breath at all until you com- 
plete its expression. And extend that [particular] breath in ac- 
cordance with the strength of the length of one breath, as much 
as you are able to extend it. 5 * 

As we have seen, one ought to extend both the breath and 
its emission. The same is not true, however, for the pause be- 
tween breaths; hAafteah ha-Semot speaks of the pause as equalling 
the length of one breath, while in 'Or ha-Sekel there is a slight 
variation: 55 

Do not separate between one breath and the breath of the letter, 
but cling to it, whether one long breath or a short one. . . But 
between the letter of the name and the 'Alef, in the direct ones, 
or between the 'Alef and the letter of the Name, in the in- 
verted ones, 56 you may take two breaths — no more — without 
pronouncing anything. At the end of each column, you may 
take five breaths, and no more, but you may also breathe less 
than five breaths. 

Hayyey ha- c Oldm ha-Ba> gives a different version, which al- 
lows for the possibility that one may take three breaths between 
the pronounciation of each letter. 57 

Another rule entailed in the act of pronouncing the Names 
refers to the prohibition against pronouncing the letters while 
breathing in: "and it is possible that the speaker [i.e., the per- 
son who recites] may breathe, and will not speak with his lips 
between the emission of air and its intake, but he is not allowed 
to speak with his mouth and take in the breath together, 58 but 
that the speech and the emission of air may occur together." 59 



Turning to the theoretical significance of breathing, we 
find that the process of intake and emission of air is alluded to in 
the afore-cited passage from Mafteah ha-Semot by the words mi-ba"r 
le-ga"w, which symbolize the attribute of Geburdh within man- 
mat is, his ability to overcome his evil Urge. For this reason, 
man pronounces the Name of forty-two letters 60 incorporating 
the expression qera< sdtdn ["cut off Satan"] which corresponds, in 
my opinion, to "conquering his Urge." The ability to overcome 
corporeality, tantamount to the Evil Urge and to Satan, by means 
of breathing, is likewise alluded to in another formulation from 
Hayyey fia-'Olam lia-BaK 

And you may yet again, if you wish, breathe three breaths 
which are one. . - And immediately the Satan will die, for they 
were enemies to the perceptions which are in the blood of man, 
and the blood is the animal [attribute]. But the secret of the one 
breath is Sadday- [Le.,] Sin Dalet Yod- and that is the second 
seal, . . which killed the demons with the seal of the Messiah, 
which kills the evil blood, and also lolls the evil attribute, so it 
immediately dies by the precious hand by the strength of those 
three breaths. 61 

The function of the three breaths which are one is that, 
as they constitute one unit connected with the pronunciation 
of one letter, they may destroy or murder the Satan and the 
imagination, i.e., the adverse perceptions inherent in the blood 
of man, in the evil blood, etc. On the other hand, the breath 
is the means of strengthening the spiritual element in man: the 
"precious hand," Sadday, the seal of Messiah. 62 Elsewhere in the 
same work, Abulafia writes about 

...eighteen breaths, which will add to your years of life, which 
are the life [in gematria: 18] of the soul, from the two creatures 
in which there is the life of the soul. And there are in you 
two nostrils in which they are mingled, and understand this, 
for they are the nostrils of the soul, whose secret is the two 
cherubim, and they are two chariots which force the Sekinah to 
dwell on earth and to speak with man. 63 



This passage suggests the ability of the breath to bring 
about a mystical experience, and through that the survival of 
the soul. 64 The two aspects of breath— that of overcoming cor- 
poreality and of strengthening spirituality— are symbolized by 
the two angels, Gabriel and Michael: "from his two nostrils one 
may recognize the two archangels, of whom it is said that the 
names of all the angels change in accordance with their work and 
their deeds and their activities, 65 [Le.,] Michael and Gabriel." 66 
In Abulafia's writings, Michael is identified with the Active In- 
tellect or Metatron, while Gabriel is identified with Sandalphon, 
to whom is encharged the corporeal realm. 67 In two other pas- 
sages, we learn of the service and knowledge of God with the 
help of breathing: "Remember Yah and his activities, for He is 
the one who seals and makes an impress— know Yah through 
your breath. 68 "'All that has breath shall praise Yah, Halleluyah'" 69 and 
it is said,™ 'with each and every breath that is within you, praise God.'" n 

In conclusion, we must mention the connection between 
breathing and the recitation of the Name as it appears in 'esit 
Hokmdh. 12 The sbcteenth-century Safedian Kabbalist, R. Elijah de 
Vidas, quotes therein a certain book not mentioned by title, as 
follows: 

There are 1080 divisions to an hour, corresponding to which 
the Tetragrammaton is combined and permutated in various 
combinations of vocalizations of the alphabet, in a total of 1080 
combinations. These 1080 combinations correspond to the 1080 
breaths which a man breathes, and to each breath there cor- 
responds one letter of the name of four letters, which gives 
vitality to that breath. 



And this is alluded to in "For by every thing which comes from 
the mouth of God may man live," 73 As God gives breath and life, 
it is appropriate that all his [man's] breaths be devoted to the 
service of the Creator, and to this our sages referred in Genesis 
Rabba [in their interpretation of] the phrase "all that lias breath 
shall praise Yah..." [Ps. 150:6] 



The connection between the act of breathing and the 
recitation of the 1080 combinations of the Ineffable Name, with 
all possible vocalizations, 74 is made here, to the best of my 
knowledge, for the first time. It is based upon R. Eleazar of 
Worms' *Eser Hawayot and on the quotation from 'Or ha-Sekel, both 
of which appear in Partes Rimmdnim™ the major work of de Vi- 
das' master, R. Moses Cordovero. 

From a practical viewpoint, it is difficult to imagine that 
one may breathe 1080 times in one hour, particularly when one 
also needs to pronounce letters; in any event, such a rapid pace 
would seem to contradict Abulafia's whole approach. However, 
the very occurrence of the breathing technique together with the 
pronunciation of letters of the Divine Name evinces the practice 
of an Abulafian-like technique among the Safedian Kabbahsts, a 
fact further strengthened by other evidence. 

B. Stoking of One's Head 

In Abulafia, the act of pronouncing the letters is accom- 
panied by motions of the head corresponding to the vowels of 
the letters pronounced. A detailed description of this practice 
appears in Hayyey ha-Vlam ha-Ba>™ quoted here in extenso: 

After you begin to pronounce the letter, begin to move your 
heart and head: your heart by your intellection, because it is an 
inner [organ], and your head itself, because it is external. And 
move your head in the form of the vowel [-point] of the letter 
which you are pronouncing. This is the manner of the form of 
the motion: know that the vocalization which is above is called 
Holam, and that alone is marked above the letter, but the other 
four vowel sounds are below the letter. And that [vowel] which 
is above the letter 'Alcf, which you pronounce with the letter 
Kaf or Qof. do not in the beginning incline your head either 
to the right or the left, nor below or above at all, but let your 
head be set evenly, as if it were in a scale [i.e., balanced], in 
the manner in which you would speak with another person of 
the same height as yourself, face to face. 



Thus, when you extend the vowel of the letter in its pronunci- 
ation, move your head up toward the heavens, and close your 
eyes and open your mouth and let your words shine 77 and 
clear your throat of all spittle so that it not interfere with the 
pronunciation of the letter in your mouth, and in accord with 
the length of your breath shall be the upper movement, un- 
til you interrupt the breathing together with the movement of 
your head. And if after uttering [the letter] there is a moment 
left to complete the breath, do not lower your head until you 
complete eveiything. 3 

The process described here in detail is also alluded to 
briefly in Sefer 'Or ha-Sekel: 78 

■ 

And your head is crowned with tefillm, facing east, for from 
there tight emerges to the world, and [from] there you may 
move your head toward five directions. And on [the vowel] 
holam begin from the center of the east, and purify your 
thoughts, and lift your head with the breath bit by bit until 
it is complete, and your head shall be facing up. And after 
this is completed bow down to the earth once... and on [the 
vowel] sere move your head from left to right, and on adrnas 
from nght to left. 

As one can clearly see, the head motions are simply at- 
tempts to imitate the written form of the vowel sounds, an at- 
tempt repeated in the use of music, where the vocalization is 
transformed into musical notes, as we shall see in the next chap- 

C. The Hands 

We find a description in Sefer lia-Heseq of the hand move- 
ments to be performed during the pronunciation of the Divine 
Names.™ This description is unique in Abulafia's extant works 
and it reflects the position of the hands during the Priestly Bless- 



"Let my prayer be acceptable as incense, the offerings of my 
hands as sweet meal-offerings." 80 And lift your eyes up to the 
heaven, and lift your left and right hands, like the lifting up 
of hands of the kohen, who divides his fingers, five on one 
side and five on the other, with two on the right and two on 
the left [in each hand], the two smallest fingers, qemisah and 
zeret (i.e., the pinky and the "ring finger") joined together, and 
these two next to them also joined. And divide between them, 
with the thumb stuck out by itself, and your hands shall also 

be in this form W and your tongue shall 

separate between them, like a balance stone, [here details of 
the pronunciation are given]. . .and immediately put down your 
hands, which you lifted before God with ease, in the image 
of the ten Sefirot from the right, like the image of the ten fin- 
gers, five over against five, to the right and left. And you have 
switched the powers and made meritorious the one who was 
guilty; therefore place your left hand on your heart, spread out 
with the five ringers, and above it place your right hand, out- 
stretched with its five fingers, to indicate that the meritorious 
one has overcome him. . . and if you wish to lift your hands for 
a longer period of time, you are allowed to do so; but if not, 
you need not worry. 

Thus far, we have described those actions which one is 
to perform while pronouncing the letters. A separate chapter 
will be devoted to the song or "melody," as Abulafia calls the 
pronunciation of the letters in different tones. We shall now 
turn to the third stage of the pronunciation of the Divine Name, 
namely, the inner activities performed in "the heart," that is, 
with the powers of the soul: the intellect and the imagination. 



4. The Inner Pronunciation 

From the mid-thirteenth century, there appears in Hebrew 
mystical literature a technique, one of whose components is the 
imagining of the letters of the Divine Names. Evidence of such a 
practice appears in R. Isaac Ibn Latif, who enumerates three dif- 



ferent stages of contemplation of the letters of the Divine Name. 
In his Surat ha-Vldm, which was apparently written at the end of 
the second third of the thirteenth century, he writes: 81 

The desired end is to strip the Name of [its] matter and to 
imagine it in your mind, although it is impossible for the imag- 
ination to depict it without some physical image, because the 
imagination is not separate from the sensibilia, and most of 
what is attained by the activity of the imagination is performed 
through the contemplation of the shape of the letters and their 
forms and number. And it must also be understood that its 
letters [i.e., those of the Divine Name] are that which make it 
move and speak, and that the other letters move about, but one 
cannot image them in speech except for the letters of the Name, 
even though they do not become mingled and do not change 
their places in the squaring of the numbers. . . And it is known 
to anyone who is wise of heart that when the imagination goes 
away, so do the letters. Therefore, the straightforward intellect 
must strip this Name of simple matter, and imagine it in the 
form of pure mind. 

The subject of this passage is the letters of the Divine 
Name, >hwy, which enliven speech and whose numerical coun- 
terparts (i.e., 1, 5, 6, 10) each retain their final digit when they are 
squared. 82 According to Ibn Latif, there are three levels of con- 
templation of these letters: the material, the imaginative and the 
intellective. The second stage is to be understood, in my opin- 
ion, as the depicting of the letters in the power of the imagina- 
tion, without the physical presence of the written letters. These 
imaginary letters are thereby transformed into an object of con- 
templation of the intellect just as, according to the Aristotelian 
theory of knowledge, every imaginary form is the material for 
intellectual activity. 

Ibn Latif 's words indicate that the technique which he 
discusses at length in several places was already in use some 
time before its occurrence in Abulafia. In the latter's Hayyey ha- 
'Olam ha-Ba>, we read: 



Prepare your true thoughts to imagine the Name, may He be 
Blessed, and with it the supernal angels. And visualize them 
in your heart as if they are human beings standing or sitting 
around you, and you are among them like a messenger. . . And 
after you have imagined this entirely, prepare your mind and 
your heart to understand the thoughts whose matters are to 
be brought to you by the letters you have thought of in your 
heart. 83 

It becomes clear several pages later that this refers to the 
letters of the Ineffable Name, of which it is said that they are 
the ones portrayed "and he shall close his eyes and intend in 
his thought, and the first intention is that he is to imagine that 
there are four camps of the Indwelling, or a Tabernacle around 
them, and four beautiful flags in round forms surrounding the 
fifth camp." 84 Following this passage, Abulafia describes the im- 
age that is to be imagined: the seventy-two letters Name in the 
center, with the four names of four letters in the four corners 
of the square. Next to the seventy-two letter Name is written 
thirty-two [probably an allusion to the 32 netibot mentioned in 
Sefer Yesirah]; this is an allusion to the gematria: 72 + 32 = 104 = 4 
x 26 [26 is the gematria of the Tetragrammaton], 

One also ought to note here the parallels to the techniques 
of imagining in the writings of other Kabbalists. Abulafia's 
younger contemporary, R. Joseph b. Shalom Ashkenazi, cites 
an extremely interesting quotation in the name of "the philoso- 
phers." This quotation, to be discussed below, is important in a 
number of different respects; I shall confine myself here to men- 
tioning just one of them. The unidentified philosophers cited, 
who were presumably contemporaries or predecessors of Ab- 
ulafia, proposed a technique of contemplation quite similar in 
several respects to that contained in the above quotations from 
Abulafia, though not identical with it. The following is the text 
of the passage: 85 

The philosophers have already written on the issue of prophe- 
cy, saying that it is not improbable that there will be a person to 



whom things will appear in his imaginative faculty comparable 
to that which appears to the imaginative faculty in a dream. 
All this [could take place] while someone is awake, and all his 
senses are obliterated, as the letters of the Divine Name [stand] 
in front of his eyes, in the gathered colours. Sometimes he will 
hear a voice, 86 a wind, a speech, a thunder and a noise with 
aU the organs of his hearing sense, and he will see with his 
imaginative faculty with all the organs of sight, and he will 
smeU with all the organs of smell, and he will taste with all 
the organs of taste, and he will touch with all the organs of 
touch, and he will walk and levitate. All this while the holy 
letters are in front of his eyes, and its colours are covering it; 
this 87 is the sleep of prophecy. 

The similarity of the content of this quotation to Abu- 
lafia's teaching is interesting, despite the fact that he is clearly 
not the author quoted here; the contemplation of the letters of 
the Divine Name as a technique for bringing about 'prophecy' is 
clearly parallel to Abulafia's own path. Moreover, the quotation 
of these words in the name of "the philosophers," despite the fact 
that it is mingled with ideas from Sefer Yesirah, fits the mixture of 
Maimonidean philosophy and Sefer Yestrk mysticism character- 
istic of Abulafia's own writings. Nevertheless, the presence here 
of a certain motif which is definitively rejected by Abulafia— i.e., 
"and its colors are enwrapped in it" 88 — makes it difficult for us 
to identify this passage with any likelihood as one of the "lost" 
writings of Abulafia. Yet it is precisely this conclusion, taken 
together with the quotation from Ibn Latif, which is significant 
for our understanding of the development of the teaching of this 
ecstatic Kabbalist. Abulafia did not create a new theory, but de- 
veloped an already existing tendency, albeit one in some respects 
rather different from that expressed in his works. 

■ 

R. Isaac of Acre, an ecstatic Kabbalist of the late thirteenth 
and early fourteenth century, saw the act of imagining of the 
letters composing the name of God as a means of achieving the 
life of the world to come. These are his words in Menrat l Einayim: m 



I, Isaac the young, the son of Samuel, of Acre, may it speedily 
be rebuilt say [as follows], to the elite as well as to the vulgus: 
that whoever wishes to know the secret of attaching one's soul 
above and cleaving one's thought to Almighty God, so that 
one may acquire the World to Come with that same constant 
thought, without interruption, and God will always be with 
him, in this [world] and the next [do as follows]. Let him 
place before his eyes and his thought the letters of the Ineffable 
Name, as if they are written before him in a book, in Assyriac 
writing, and let him visualize each letter before his eyes as 
great, without limits. I mean by this to say that when you 
envision the letters of the Ineffable Name before your eyes, 
[imaginatively] put your mind's eye on them but the thought 
of your heart be on the Infinite ['Eyrt So/], [the envisioning and 
the thought] both concomitantly. And this is the true cleaving 
of which Scripture said, "to cleave to Him," 90 "and to Him 
shall you cleave/' 91 "and you who cleave/' 92 etc. And so long 
as the soul of man cleaves to the Name, may He be blessed, 
no evil shall befall you, and you shall come to no error in any 
matter, either intellective or sensory, and you will not fall into 
the hand of chance, for so long as one is cleaving to God, may 
He be blessed, he is above all chance and rules over them. 

Another sentence in the same work describes the tech- 
nique of imagination: 

I, Isaac, , , of Acre, have come to write a tradition pertaining to 
the intention of the punctuation of the Holy Name. , of which 
whosoever knows it will think in his heart of its vocalization 
as if it is vocalized before him. 93 

In a magical passage appearing in the manuscripts, the 
idea of imagination appears as follows: "Another way YHWH 
with the vocalization of debareka. Imagine in your mind the let- 
ters of the Ineffable Name before your eyes, in a circle colored 
red as fire, and your thought shall perform much. From Rabbi 
Tanhum/' 94 The expression, "your mind shall perform much/' 
and the end of the previous passage from Menrat "Einayim, suggest 
an explicitly magical direction, conveying a technique, the main 



element of which is the attainment of cleaving to God (debequt). 95 
It may be that R Isaac of Acre combined Abulafia's teaching 
with a magical understanding of the imagining of the letters of 
God's Name which also was predicted in the thirteenth century, 

In conclusion, it is worthwhile citing a few comments 
concerning the imagining of the letters from MS. Sasson 290, p. 
648: 

You may picture the Ineffable Name like the white flame of the 
candle, in absolute whiteness, and the light in your looking at 
the candle, and even when there is no candle, remember the 
flame, and there you may see and look at the light, from the 
pure white light. And one must always imagine that you are 
a soul without a body, and the soul is the light, and you are 
always within the above-mentioned flames, by way of the pure 
clouds. And strive to be pure and full, and if it is daytime 
wearing sisit and tefillin and the ring upon your finger, and at 
night as well the ring upon your finger. And be accustomed 
to cleanliness in that house where you stand in the sanctuary 
of God, within His precious, holy and pure names. 

I have discussed the visualization of the Divine Names 
at some length, because it concerns an extremely widespread 
technique, known to a number of different Kabbalists, How- 
ever, there is one point which is decisive for the understanding 
of Abulafia's doctrine: what he assumes to be a means, in the 
passages we have cited from Hayyey ha-Olam ha-Ba\ become (in 
other passages of his to be discussed in the third chapter) the 
goal The letters of the Divine Name are not only a component of 
the method of cleaving to God; the process of imagining the let- 
ters in the first stage precedes the vision of the letters in the final 
stage of the ecstatic process. 96 This distinction between technique 
and goal is not clear in other authors, so that in their descrip- 
tions the imagining of the letters is transformed into immediate 
cleaving to them. Finally, let us note that the technique of imag- 
ining already appears in the early thirteenth century mystic Ibn 
Arabia 



Another interesting element of Abulafia's technique of 
contemplation appears in Hayyey ha-Vlam ha-Ba\ In several places 
there, he refers to a technique of recitation and contemplation 
connected to the three main organs of the body: the head, the 
belly and the torso: 

And he should again pronounce the head of the end, which is 
L [lamed], and imagine as if you are gazing at your belly, and 
do not breathe between pronouncing the place of your organ 
and pronouncing that letter which rules over that organ, 95 

Elsewhere in the same work we read: 

Again, go and mention the head of the middle of the Name. 
You already know that you ought to pronounce [the names of] 
the organs from what I have said, that there are so-to-speak 
three spots on your head: the inside, which is the head of 
the head; the middle, which is the inside of the head; and the 
behind, which is the end of the head. And likewise imagine 
as if there are three points on your torso, which is the place 
of your heart: the head, which is the center of the middle; the 
middle, which is the middle of the middle, which is but one 
point in its center; and the behind, which is the end of the end. 
And likewise imagine that there are three points in your belly: 
the front, which is the point of your navel, the head of the end; 
the middle, which is the point of your entrails; the middle of 
the end, and behind, which is the point of the end of your 
spine, which is the place of the kidneys where the spinal cord 
is completed, the end of the end." 

This passage is based upon the pronunciation of the letters 
of the Name of seventy-two letters, consisting of units of three 
letters, each three of which constitute one column. A unit con- 
sists of a beginning, the first letter; a middle, the second letter; 
and an end, the final letter. It follows from this that, by recit- 
ing a column of nine letters pertaining to the bodily organs, one 
thereby refers to the human head, torso and belly. An error in 
the recitation of one letter is likely to bring about a change in one 



of the organs of the body, for which reason the name of seventy- 
two letters also includes the combination Mum [defect], 100 



What are the sources of this technique? The reference to 
the navel leads G. Scholem to think that there is a connection 
between Abulafia and the school of hesychasm, which practiced 
the contemplation of one's navel. 101 But it seems to me that pre- 
cisely that opinion which he sees as "one which is difficult to 
imagine" is the correct one; namely, that this technique came 
about through an internal development, based upon study of 
Sefer Yesirah. In Hayyey ha^Otam ha-Ba\ it states: 

Know that there are within man three matters created by the 
three pillars [i.e., primary letters], >m$ t combined with yhw, 
and these are the angels of fire, wind and water. Behold, the 
head is created by three forms of fire, corresponding to ta<q 
[corresponding to] fire, and the belly [is created of] water, cor- 
responding to $<d [corresponding to] water, and the torso, cre- 
ated from the wind, corresponding to tm"d [corresponding to] 
wind, 102 

This division of the human body originates in Sefer Yesirdh 
iii, 4, where it states "[There are] three pillars [called] >ms in 
the soul: fire, water and wind. The head is created from fire, 
the belly is created from water, and the torso, which is created 
from wind, mediates between them/' Abulafia added a new 
element to this division, occurring already in Baraita de-Mazdlot, 103 
in which the astrological signs are divided into three groups, 
each element belonging to another group: ta"q = Taleh, "Aryeh, 
Qeset (i.e., Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) = fire; tm"d = Tcomim, Mo 
Gedi (i.e., Gemini, Libra, Capricorn) = wind; sa'ad = Sanaa, 'Aqrab, 
Deli (i.e., Cancer, Scorpio, Aquarius) = water. Through this, there 
came about the view that the three parts of the human body are 
likewise connected to the three letters. 

Abulafia used the letters of the Name of seventy-two let- 
ters rather than the initials of the names of the constellations. 
Viewed in this way, it is clear that according to his approach the 



navel is no more than one of the nine points of the human body, 
and that there is no special significance to its contemplation. It 
is worth mentioning here the magical character of the technique 
of pronouncing the name of the organ and the letter appointed 
over it. In Hayyey ha-Oldm ha-Ba>, Abulafia writes: 

Head and belly and torso, that is, the head, beginning inside 
the end. The "head" is the first point that you imagine in it; 
the "end" is the purpose of the head, and is like a tail to it and 
- the belly is likewise like a tail to the head, and is the image 
of the torso, wherein the heart is located. And the image that 
you ought to imagine at the time of pronunciation, in order 
to change within that image the nature of [one] part of the 
bodies, alone or with others, is: think in your heart the name 
of that thing, and if it is [composed] of two letters, such as yam 
[sea], and you wish to invert it, and the name of the reversal 
is yabasdh [dry land], the companion of yam with yabasdh, and 
this is "beginning and end, yah." But the middle is me-yabes 
yam; behold, Yah me-yabes Yam ("God makes dry the sea"), for 
He in truth makes the sea into dry land. And pronounce in 
this image whatever you remember, and thus you will first say 
heh, in the middle of your head, and draw it within your head 
as if you were contemplating and see the center of your brain, 
and Us central point in your thoughts, and envision the letter 
heh inscribed above it, which guards the existence of the points 
of your brain. 104 

We may now understand Abulafia' s remarks in Pe<ulat ha- 

Yesirdh: 

Begin at the head of your head, until there the first eight lines 
to preserve the head, and he shall mention the second eight 
lines to fulfill the first, in the first order, and he shall mention 
the eight third lines, the storm and the wind, and one image 
emerges. 105 

There is no doubt that this refers to the head, the torso 
and the belly, with the help of a slightly different classification: 
(a) the head; (b) the first [qama; the correct reading may be qomah- 



stature]; (c) end. As in Hayyey ha-Oldm ha-Ba\ the letters of the 
Name of seventy-two letters, which are pronounced over the 
organs of the body, are here mentioned in order to create the 
homunculus, while in Hayyey ha-Oldm ha-Ba>, "in order to change 
nature," namely the spiritual nature of man -his psyche. It is 
worth mentioning that this technique incorporates two different 
planes of activity: the letters must be pronounced while one 
envisions in one's mind the place which they influence. 

The magical character of this technique is manifested in R. 
Judah Albotini's Sullam ha-Aliydh. Here the author copies, almost 
word for word, the relevant passages from the two major works 
by Abulafia, 'Or ha-Sekel and Hayyey ha-'6ldm ha-Ba'.™ Prior to 
describing the above-mentioned technique, the author writes: 107 

. . . that the angels were created and all creatures were made 
from the twenty-two letters and their combinations and their 
permutations, and as fire by nature warms, and water cools, 
so do the letters by their nature create all sorts of creatures, 
and [fulfill] the requests of those who mention them with wis- 
dom and knowledge. Of this our sages said 108 that Bezaiel 
knew how to combine the letters with which heaven and earth 
were created. Likewise, the other prophets and pious men in 
each generation, by means of the combination and permuta- 
tion of letters and their movements, used to perform miracles 
and wonders and turn about the order of Creation, such as we 
find it explained in our Talmud 109 that Rabba created a man 
and sent him to R. Zeira. 



5. Preparations for Recitation 

Having described the details of the technique of reciting 
the Divine Name, we shall now discuss the necessary prepara- 
tions related to this act. In two of his books, Hayyey ha-'Oldm 
ha-Ba> and 'Or ha-Sekel, Abulafia describes these conditions: 



... At the time that you wish to recite this Ineffable Name as 
engraved above with its vocalization, adom yourself and se- 
clude yourself in a special place so that your voice will not 
be heard to anyone apart from yourself, and purify your heart 
and your soul from all thoughts of this world. 110 

Elsewhere, he writes: 

Be prepared for thy God, oh Israelite! Make thyself ready to 
direct thy heart to God alone. Cleanse the body and c hoose a 
lonely house where none shall hear thy voice. Sit there in thy 
closet and do not reveal thy secret to any man. If thou canst, 
do it by day in the house, but it is best if thou completest it 
during the night. In the hour when thou preparest thyself to 
speak with the Creator and thou wishest Him to reveal His 
might to thee, then be careful to abstract all thy thought from 
the vanities of the world. 1 " 

A similar description is repeated in Sefer ha-Heseq: 

When you wish to recite the name of seventy-two letters, fol- 
lowing the preparation we have mentioned, you must arrange 
to be alone in a special place, to pronounce the secret of the In- 
effable Name, and to separate and isolate yourself from every 
speaking creature, and from all vanities of [the world, so as not 
to view them as] attributes [of God]. And also so that there 
not remain in your heart any thoughts of human or natural 
things, of either voluntary or necessary [matters], as if you are 
one who has given a writ of divorce to all forms of the mun- 
dane world, as one who has given a testament in the presence 
of witnesses in which he orders [another] to take care of his 
wife and his children and his property, and has relieved him- 
self of all involvement and supervision and transferred it from 
himself and gone away. 1 12 

The two main stipulations appearing here— separation 
from the vanities of the world and isolation in a special house 
for the purpose of this recitation^reappear in Sawey Sedeq: 



He should also ascend to purify his soul above all other wis- 
doms which he has learned; the reason for this being that, as 
they are natural and limited, they contaminate the soul and 
prevent the Divine forms, which are extremely fine, from pass- 
ing through it. . . therefore one must isolate oneself in a special 
house, and if the house is such that he will not even hear a 
voice, this is even better. 113 

A third preparation for the act of recitation is to adom 
oneself in tallit and tefillin: 

And wrap yourself in a tallit and place your tefillin on your 
head and your arm, so that you may be fearful and in awe of 
the Sekinah, which is with you at that time. And cleanse your- 
self and your garments, and if possible let them all be white, 
for all this greatly assists the intention of fear and love. 114 

Elsewhere, we read, "And sit enwrapped in clean white 
pure garments or new garments over all your garments, or over 
your tallit, and your head adorned with tefillin." 115 To this atmo- 
sphere of mystery is added the instruction that "if it is night, 
light many candles, until it shall enlighten your eyes well." 116 
As two contemporary students of hypnotism have attempted to 
show in a study, 117 to which we shall return later, these instruc- 
tions constitute a method akin to, though not identical with, that 
inducing auto-hypnosis. 

Once these conditions have been fulfilled, the one con- 
templating begins to combine letters according to the methods 
described above. The immediate goal of these combinations is 
to achieve a state of "warming of the heart": 118 

And begin to combine small letters with great ones, to reverse 
them and to permutate them rapidly, until your heart shall be 
warmed through their combinations and rejoice in their move- 
ments and in what you bring about through their permutations; 
and when you feel thusly that your heart is already greatly 
heated through the combinations. . . then you are ready to re- 
ceive the emanated influx. 119 



In Sefer tia-Melamed, Abulafia says, "but that of which I 
have informed you concerning the matter of the secret of com- 
bination, that when you mention the words combined, then the 
divine spirit shall rest upon you through the heating of your 
heart." 120 We read another formulation of this motif in Sawey 
Sedeq, "all these acts must be performed with rapid motion, 
which warms the thought and increases the longing and joy." 121 
This motif of "warming" the heart or the thought is decisive 
for understanding the nature of the technique suggested by Ab- 
ulafia; one may easily be misled by the external similarity be- 
tween the components of Abulafia's path toward the mystical ex- 
perience and certain details in Yoga or hesychasm. But beyond 
the details, which are clearly borrowed from outside sources, 
Abulafia's way is an original one in terms of the psychological 
mechanism by which the new consciousness which he reaches is 
activated- While in the other known techniques— Yoga, Sufism 
and hesychasm— the goal is to attain the maximum degree of 
concentration by means of a generally simple formula, to be re- 
peated over and over again, Abulafia's method is based upon the 
contemplation of a constantly changing object one must com- 
bine the letters and their vowel signs, "sing" and move the head 
in accordance with the vocalization, and even lift one's hands in 
the gesture of Priestly Blessing. This combination of constantly 
changing components is entirely different from what we know 
of these other techniques. Abulafia is not interested in relaxing 
the consciousness by means of concentration on a "point," but 
in purifying it by the necessity to concentrate intensely on such 
a large number of activities that it is almost impossible at that 
moment to think about any other subject. By this means, the 
consciousness is purified of every subject apart from the names 
being uttered. 

The concentrated effort also assures rapid results; in 
Hayyey ha-'Olam fw-Ba >122 Abulafia states that, 

... it is the tradition among us, that the influx comes to the 
complete man when he completes the first verse following the 



pronounciation of the twenty-four names, whose mnemonic 123 
is "My beloved is white and ruddy; the voice 124 of my beloved 
knocks" ( Dodisah we^adom; Qdl dodidcfai). 

The point here is that, after one utters the twenty-four 
Names (symbolized by the gematria of the word dodi), each of 
which consists of three letters, it is possible to reach contact 
with the archangel Metatron. This intense increase in the level 
of mental activity at the time of pronunciation places the Ab- 
ulafian experience under the category of "intense ecstasy," to 
use the terminology of Marganit Laski. 125 One does not find 
in Abulafia experiences of contemplative mysticism which are 
continued over a long period of time. Instead, his approach is 
intense; for this reason, the duration of the experience is also 
limited, as it is impossible for the mind to function on such an 
intensive level over a long period of time. Abulafia's system 
directs one toward short bursts into Eternal Life, followed by a 
rapid return to the life of this world. For this reason, the above- 
mentioned approach, in which Abulafia's technique is seen as a 
means of bringing about a state of auto-hypnosis, seems diffi- 
cult to accept. 126 The decrease in the level of bodily and mental 
activity characteristic of the hypnotic state is absent in Abulafia. 
In his opinion: 

The more the sublime intellective flow is strengthened within 
you, the more your external and internal organs become weak- 
ened, and your body begins to tremble greatly and mightily, 
until you think that you shall surely die at that time, for your 
soul will become separated from your body out of the great 
joy in attaining and knowing what you have known. 127 

I would like to note one interesting side aspect of Ab- 
ulafia's technique: namely, that his method is based upon the 
actual expression or pronunciation of the Ineffable Name, and 
that, in every possible combination of vocalization and of the 
letters themselves. According to the Misfinah, "One who pro- 
nounces the Name in its letters [i.e., as it is written] has no 
share in the World to Come." 128 Abulafia claims the exact op- 



posite: that the way to attain the World to Come is precisely, 
and only, by pronouncing the Ineffable Name, Thus, we find 
here an extraordinary phenomenon: Abulafia's system is based 
upon the performance of an act, the recitation of the Holy Name, 
which constitutes a definite halakic transgression. It is therefore 
quite surprising that neither Abulafia nor his opponents even 
mention this problem. 129 This makes an interesting contrast to a 
somewhat similar case in the Christian world. I refer to a reli- 
gious movement that sprang up in Russia in 1913, which con- 
sidered the Name of God as the principal means for connecting 
with Him; in its view, the recitation of God's name during wor- 
ship brings about the unification of the worshipper with God 
Himself through the very act of pronouncing. Its opponents ar- 
gued against this view that one is categorically proscribed from 
uttering God's name unnecessarily. 130 

In conclusion, one may mention the term used by G. 
Scholem to characterize the above-described path. In several 
places, he referred to Abulafia's path as a kind of "magic of 
inwardness/' 131 whose main intention is to change man's inner 
structure. Abulafia claimed that one could alter both man's na- 
ture and his soul 132 For this reason, while his path ought to 
be identified as a magical one because it alludes at times to 
the possibility of changes in external nature, its main intention 
of influencing the soul deserves the term technique rather than 
magic. As against the vain attempt to change the outside world, 
Abulafia at least succeeded in changing his own consciousness, 
as did the other mystics. 



1. Ch.16. The text cited here is based primarily upon S. Wertheimer, 
Batey Midrasot, I, 92, with minor corrections based upon the text in 
Beyt ha-Midras, I1L ed. Jellinek (Ch. 14); Cf. Schafer, Synapse, pp. 88- 
89, par. 204-205. On the Divine Names mentioned in this passage, see 
Scholem, Major Trends, p. 56 and p. 363, notes. 57-58. 

2. S. Mussaioff, Merkdbdh Selenmh Qerusalem, 1921), fol. 4b; on the 
parallelism between this passage and the previous, see the note by 
Wertheimer, Batey Midrasot, I, 92, n. 75. 

3. Printed in fa'am Zeqenim (Frankfort a. M„ 1855), p. 54 ffol. The 
version cited here appears in R. Judah al-Barceloni's Perus Sefer Yesirdh 
(Berlin, 1885), p. 104. See also B. Levin, Vsar ha-Ge'onim IV, Responsa, 
p. 17; idem, I, 20, n. 1; MS. New York - JTS 1805 (Enelow Collection, 
712) foUla. 

4. Levin, 'Osar ha-Ge-dnim IV, Responsa, p. 14; Scholem, Major Trends, 
pp. 49-50. n. 33-35. Jellinek thinks that this reflects Sufi influence, but 
he has not given any reasons for this statement. See Beitrage, no. 22, 
p. 15. See now also Idel, Kabbalah: New Perspectives, pp. 89-91 . 

5. Vajda, "Etudes sur Qirqisani," RE}, 106 (1941^5), p.107, n. 2. 

6. f Aruk ha-Saleni, vol. I, p. 14. 



7. Scholem, jewish Gnosticism, p. 54. 

8. See his commentary on Hagiggdh, fol. 14b. 

9. Rashi on Hagiggdh 14b. Compare the aggaddh cited in Yalqut Sinvdni 
to Genesis, sec. 44. 

10. MS. Cambridge Add. 643, fol. 19a; MS. Oxford 1574, fol. 34b; 
MS. Vatican 431, fol. 39a. This passage is quoted in the name of Ibn 
Ezra— with slight changes— in Sefer Ketab Tamim of R. Moses Taku, 
Vsar Nehniad, III, p. 85, which matches the version found in MS. 
British Library 756, fol. 170b-171a. On this work, see Dan, Esoteric 
Theology, p. 143ff. 

11. Osar Nehmad, III, 84. See M. Guedemann, ha-Torah zvelia-Hayyim 
bi-yemey ha-Beynayirn be-Sarfat uwe-'Mkenaz, pp. 123-124, and Scholem, 
Major Trends, pp. 102-103. 

12 MS. Oxford 1812, fol. 55b. On this work, see Dan, Studies, pp. 
44-57; idem, "The Ashkenazi Hassidk Gates of Wisdom," in Hommage 
a Georges Vajda, (eds.) G. Nahon-Ch. Touati (Louvain, 1980), pp. 183- 
189. 

13 The letters of the forty- two letter name are here interpreted as 
the initials of mystical Names of God. This is an ancient approach, 
which had considerable influence on the Medieval mystics; R Eleazar 
of Worms seems to have been one of the important avenues through 
which this approach made its way into Europe. On the subject gener- 
ally, see Idel, "The World of Angels," pp. 1-15. 

14 The interpretation of each of the letters as a Name in itself already 
appears in the Hekalot literature; see, for example, Hekalot Zutartt, ed 
R. Elior, p. 28. On the influence of this ouUook on Abulafia, and 
of his outlook on R. Moses Cordovero and on Hassidism, see Idel, 
"Perceptions of the Kabbalah." 

15. Based upon Sanhedrin, fol. 91a; see Idel, "The Concept of Torah/' 
p. 28, n« 20. 

16. On this abbreviation as a reference to R. Eleazar, see Dan, Esoteric 
Theology, pp. 118-127. 

17 Ch 41. Printed by A. Jellinek in Kokbe Yishdq, 34 (1867), p. 16. 
The work was composed at the beginning of the second half of the 
thirteenth century. j 



18. A certain parallel to the opinion of Ibn Latif appears in the words 
of an anonymous author whose work was preserved in MS. Mainz- 
Academie 107, fol. 98a. 

And now I shall point out what the three times YHWH refers. Know 
that there are two [kinds] of comprehension which one may compre- 
hend of Him, may He be blessed. The first is that He exists: this 
comprehension is the one spoken of when they say that we may un- 
derstand God through His deeds, for it is impossible without "there 
being a first cause. The second is that, even though we have not yet 
reached it, we are confident that in the future awesome things are to 
be generated, from which we may recognize the rank [nwalah] of the 
cause which generated them, on a level greater than that which we 
know now, in what has been generated in the act of Creation. And 
albeit that this comprehension is greater than the former one, the 
common element of both is that through His actions one knows the 
Active Agent. But these comprehensions differ in that the former is 
[ 311 comprehension of his existence, and the latter is comprehension of 

* his rank. But there is yet a third [kind of] comprehension, with which 

I created beings are not involved at all, and this is the comprehension 

of the essence, which is hidden from all beings but God alone, who 
alone comprehends His essence, and none other. And these three 
comprehensions are alluded to in the verse, "God has reigned, God 
i does reign, God will reign forever and ever." 

The awesome deeds referred to here are evidentiy parallel to Ibn Latif's 
remarks concerning the Divine will, on the one hand, and the mira- 
des and wonders performed by means of the supernal will, in the 
quotation to be brought below from R. Moses of Burgos, on the other 
hand. 

19. For Ibn GabiroTs influence on Ibn Latif in the identification of 
'will' and 'speech/ see S. O. Heller- Wilenski, "The Problem of the 
Authorship of the Treatise Saw ha-Samayim, ascribed to Abraham Ibn 
Ezra," Tar&iz , 32 (1963), pp. 290-291, and note 74 [Hebr.] 

20. See Scholem, Les Origines, p. 356. 

21. MS. Oxford 1580, fol. 149a. On "Torah, Wisdom and Prophecy," 
see also below, Ch. 4, n. 34. 

22. The reference is to R. Ishmael, R. Nehunyah ben ha-Kanah and R. 
'Aqiba, "who are among the great ones of Israel among the authors. 



such as Pirqey Hekalot, Sefer ha-Bahir and Vtiydt de-Rabbi 'Akiba," as 
Abulafia explains below, in fol. 148a. 

23. 'Terus'sem ben M"B trtiyot, printed by Scholem in Tarbiz, 5 
(1934), p. 56 [Hebr.] 

24. See the chapter devoted to this subject in ldel, Abraham 
Abulafia, p. 133 ff. 

25. Sitrey Torah, MS. Paris, BN 774, fol. 156a; Sefer ha-Vt, 
pp. 80-81. 

26. Sitrey Torah, ibid., fol. 157b. The verbs "combine" and 
"be purified" are different forms of the root srf. 

27. Mafteah ha-Rawydn, MS. Vatican 291, fol. 21a. 

28. See the chapter on language in ldel, Abraham Abulafia, 
pp. 143-146. 

29. 'Osar 'Eden Gmna, MS. Oxford 1580, fol. 161a. 

30. MS. Jerusalem 8° 148, fol. 63b. 

31. Liqqutey Hamis, MS. Oxford 2239, fol. 113a. < 

32. MS. Oxford 1580, fol. 70b. 

33. Peruss Sir ha-Sinm , MS. Oxford 343, fol. 49a. 

U MS. Munchen 408, fols. 65a-65b, also published in 
Sefer Im-Pelvmh, fol. 35b. On the dialogic element in Abulafia s 
mystical experience, see below, Ch. 3. 

35. On Mawseh Merkdb=ah = sem be-sem = 682, see ldel, 
Abraliam Abulafia, pp. 179-181- 

36. Vr ha-Sekel , MS. VaUcan 233, fol. 95a, copied in Pardis 
mw&m fol- 92c, under the title Sefer ha-Niaai^ Compaq 
against this, the table appearing in Net 'Elohim, MS. Munchen 



10, tol. 149a-149b and 150b, which differs in a number of re- 
spects from that in 'Or ha-Sekel. A specimen of the table of letter- 
combinations which we have printed appears as well in Tocci, 
"Techniques of Pronunciation," pp. 222-229 which he printed 
from 'Or ha-Sekel; he likewise noted the source of the section in 
Pardes Rimmonhn in Vr ha-Sekel. For similar phenomena of com- 
binations of vowels in ancient pagan magi, see P C. Miller "In 
Praise of Nonsense/' in Classical Mediterranean Spirituality, ed. A. 
H. Armstrong (New York, 1986), pp. 482-499. 

37. MS. Vatican 233, fol. 97a. 

38. 'Eser Hawayot, MS, Munchen 43, fol. 219a, as well as 
in several passages in Sefer ha-Sem. The section was copied from 
the works of R. Eleazar in Minimi Yehuddh by R. Judah Hayyat 
(Ma<areket ha-Elohut, fol. 197b), and from there to Pardes Rimmomm, 
fol. 92b. The expression, "the book of the structures [nwardkot] 
of the living God" is an allusion to Ma'areket ha-'Elohut, R. Moses 
Cordovero substituting the author for its commentary. The first 
Spanish Kabbalist to use an Ashkenazic system in his books 
was R. David ben Judah he-Hasid, in Mardt ha-Sobot, p. 95. This 
source was also known to R. Moses Cordovero, who mentions 
him as "the author of Sefer 'Or Zarua'," which, as is known, is 
the work of R. David. Compare Pardes Rimmomm, fol. 93b with 
the citation given in Mardt ha-$ob>dt. R. David's contemporary, 
R. Menahem Recanati, also alludes to this system in his Perus 
la-Tdrdh, fol. 49b. 

39. See chapter on language in ldel, Abraham Abulafia, sec. 
3 and note 31. Abulafia based the use of the word notariqon 
upon widespread knowledge in his circle. See MS. Berlin- 
Tubingen Or. 941, fol. 88a, which contains a text very similar to 
part. 3 of Ginat 'Egdz, in which the word notariqon appears with 
the vocalization of five different vowels. 



40. On Exodus 3:15. 



41. M. Steinschneider (Hebraische Bibliographie , vol. 21, p. 
35) alludes to the possibility of the influence of ha- c Aguldt ha- 
Ra'ayoniyot on the technique of circles in Hayyey ha- l 6ldm ha-Ba>. 
However, it is difficult to substantiate such an assumption in 
light of the fact mat Abulafia does not at all mention ha- c Aguldt 
ha-Ra'ayoniyot, despite the fact that this was a widespread work 
among the Jews. \ 

42. MS. Rome-Angelica 38, fol. 38b; MS. Munchen 285, 
fol. 30a. 

43. MS- Munchen 285, fol. 102a, j 

44. MS. Munchen 58, fol. 320a. « 

45. George Anawati, "Le nom supreme de Dieu," Etudes 
de philosophie musulmane (Paris, 1974), pp. 404-405. 

46. Extensive bibliographical material on breathing and 
on the various techniques of pronunciation was gathered by 
Tocci in the notes to his article, "Technique of Pronunciation." 
However, his analysis of the details of Abulaha's system of 
breathing is based upon a passage from 'Or ha-Sekel and upon 
the printed portion of Hayyey ha-Vlam ha-Ba>; he was unaware of 
several important discussions concerning breathing technique, 
which we shall cite below, for which reason his study is incom- 
plete. 

47. MS. New York, JTS 1897, fol. 86b - 87a. 

48. *Abot, 4:1, J 

49. These are the first and last letters of the Name of 
forty-two letters. 1 

50. Seba< Netibot ha-iorah, p. 25; Hayyey ha- e 6ldm ha-Ba>, MS. 
Oxford 1582, fol. 54b. 



51. J. H. Woods, Vie Yoga System of Patanjali (Cambridge, 
Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1966), p. 193; Yoga-Sutra H, 

52. The accepted interpretation of kumbhaka is "halting"— 
an interruption in the breathing activity after one draws in air. 
In one place only have I succeeded finding an interpretation 
suitable to Abulafia as well: in the French translation of the 
lectures of Vivekananda on the sutra of Patanjalil, Jean Herbert, 
the translator, remarks that the meaning of kumbhaka is a halt 
before or after the breath. The former interpretation suits the 
idea of "rest" in Abulafia, but I cannot verify the reliability of 
this interpretation. See S. Vivekananda, Les Yogas practiques (Paris 
1939), p. 551, note 1. 

53. MS. Vatican 528, fol. 71b. 

54. MS. Vatican 233, fols. 109b-110a. Copied by R. Moses 
Cordovero in Pardes Rimmdnim, fol. 92c-d, as Sefer ha-Niqqud. 

55. Ibid., fols. llOa-llOb. 

56. The straight ones are read as 'Atef-Yod, and the inverted 
ones as Yod-'Alef. 

57. MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 54b: "And between each letter 
you are allowed to wait and to prepare yourself and breathe for 
the duration of three breaths of the breaths of pronunciation." 

58. The sentence "but he is not allowed. . . . together" 
appears twice; I have eliminated the repetition. 

59. Mafteah ha-Semot MS. New York, JTS 1897, fol. 87a. It is 
worth noting that, despite the difficulty in uttering letters while 
breathing, such an instruction does appear among the Sufis, who 
make use of a technique combining pronouncing while breathing 
and emitting air. See Anawati-Gardet, Mystique musulmane (Paris, 
1961), pp. 208-209. 



60. In Sef irotic Kabbalah, the forty-two letter Name serves 
as a symbol for the attribute of Geburah— the Sefirah of "Rigor", 

61. MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 61b. 

62. G' nesimot [three breaths] = 814 = nesimdh >alwt = ha-satan 
yamut = mastinot [one breath; Satan will die; enemies] = ha-hasdgot 
be-dam ha-'adam [the comprehension in the blood of man] = sin 
dalet yod [the letters of Sadday written out in full) = hotam sent [the 
second seal] = himit ka-sedim [killed the demons] = ba-hotdm masiah 
[with the seal of Messiah] = memit ha-dam lm-ra< [kills the bad 
blood] = memit middah wall [kills the bad attribute] = met mi-yad 
yeqdrdh [dies by a dear hand]. There may be a connection between 
the positive valuation of breathing as a means of strengthening 
the spiritual element, and the idea of the Orphic poets, quoted 
and rejected by Aristotle in De Anima, 410b, 28, that the soul is 
drawn in by breathing. 

63. MS. Oxford 1582, fols. 54b-55a. Y'H nesimot (18 
breaths) = 824 = knot hayyim [years of life] - hayye nesdmdt [life 
of the soul] = mesanney hayut [the changers of vitality] hayut ha- 
nesamah [vitality of the soul]. Bene tiehirim (two nostrils) = 678 = 
Hirabot = nehirc nesamah [nostrils of the soul] = senayim kerubim [two 
cherubs] = seney murkabim [two compounded] - makrike ha-Sekindh 
[those who force the Sekinah]. See also MS. Jerusalem 8° 1303, 
fol. 55b. 

64. Compare Gan Na<ul, MS. Miinchen 58, fol. 322a: 

As it is said [Gen. 2:7], "And he breathed into their nostrils the breath 
of life," and one who weighs the letters must contemplate the secret 
of the recitation of the names, with the hidden breaths sealed by all 
the wisdoms, and in them he shall live after death. 

Compare also Nahmanides in his commentary to Ecclesi- 
astes, Kitbey Ramban, ed. Chavel, Jerusalem, 1963 1, 192: J 

And with the unique name [there are] letters created and revealed 
miracles performed in the world....for with His Name He spoke and 



the world was, and there is no chance in his words, but through them 
he splits the Sea and the Jordan. 

See also note 67 below. 

65. Abulafia derives the word mahak (angel) from meldkdh 
(labor). See Hayyey ha-Nefes, MS. M ; unchen 408, fols. 27a-b; Imre 
Sefer, MS. Miinchen 40, fol. 225b, etc. 

66. Mafteah ha-Semot, MS. New York, JTS 1897, fol. 87a. 

67. See Idel, "The World of the Imagination," pp. 168-171. 

68. The concluding poem of Hayyey haSOIam ha-Ba>, MS. 
Oxford 1582, fol. 82a. 

69. Psalm 150:6. 

70. Genesis Rabba , 14:9, ed. Theodor-Albeck, p. 134. 

71. Mafteah ha-Semot, MS. New York, JTS 1897, fol. 87a 
Compare also >6r ha-Sekel, MS. Vatican 233, fol. 77b. 

72. Sa<ar ha-Yirdh, Ch.10. The section is also quoted in 
Midrds Talpiyot of R. Elijah ha-Kohen, fol. 15b. 

• 73. Deuteronomy 8:3. 

74. The division of the hour into 1080 seconds, as well 
as the 1080 combinations, also appears in Abulafia, but he does 
not draw any connection between them in his known works, no 
doubt because no connection of this type exists in actuality See 
K Adam, MS. Rome, Angelica 38, fol. 5a; Perus Sefer Yesirah, MS 
Pans 774, fol. 60a; Vsdr Gan 'Eden, MS. Oxford 1580, fol. 40b; 
and many other places. See also the introduction to Vr Ydqdr, 
printed in R. Abraham Azulai's it Or ha-Hamah (Bene Barak! 
1973), III, fol. 44c sec, 73 on Bamidbar. 



75. Sa<ar Pirte ha-Smot, Chs. 1-2; as is well known, 
Moses Cordovero was the teacher of R. Elijah de Vidas. 



76. MS. Oxford 1582, fols. 54a-54b, printed by Scholem, 
Abulafia, p. 23. 

77. Berakot, fol. 22a. 

78 MS Vatican 233, fols. HOa-llOb; Scholem, Abulafia p. 
226. See also J- L. Blau, The Christian interpretation of the Cabala m 
the Renaissance (New York, 1965), p. 69, n. 12. 

79 MS. New York, JTS 1801, fols. 9a-b; MS;^ 5 ^ 
brary 749, iol. 12a-b, with omissions. See also Ner Uohm, MS. 
Miinchen 10, fol. 166b. 

80. Psalms 141:2. 

81 (Wien, 1860), p. 32. In the printed version the word 
• - which I have corrected in accordance with 

EZX^ZZ -ts to the letters of ^ Ineffable 
tLe, whifh move the letters of Mef 
already in K«z«ri, IV:25, and was already known 
baUsts of Gerona, and afterwards by R. Joseph of Hamadan. 

82. See Ibn Ezra's commentary to Exodus 3:15, which is 
also cited in the section on circles, below, Ch. 3. . 

83. MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 52a. 

84. Ibid,, fol. 57b-58a. On the connection 
one's eyes and the use of mystical techmque, see Idel, MitaU* 
as Concentration," Studies, essay VII, Appendix A. 

85. Printed by G ^ fc ^J£5K3^ 

^f^^^^^^^^^X Rabad and 
of the Commentary to htjir als0 

his Works," Qiryat Sefer , 4 (1927-28), p. m ine 



bcholem s remarks, ibid., n. 2; Hailamish, Kabbalistic Commentary, 
p. 223. 

86. Sefer Yesirdh 1:9. 

87. Compare Genesis Rabbah, 17:5, ed. Theodor-Albeck, p. 

156. 

88. The problem of the contemplation of colors and lights 
in Kabbalah shall be discussed in a separate work, in which 
I will analyze this passage from R. Joseph from other aspects. 
Abulafia does not mention colors at all in his works, while else- 
where, in the epistle We-Zot li~Yehuddh, p. 16, Abulafia criticizes 
the contemplation of lights as being of a lower type of Kabbalah 
than that which he advocates. 

89. Ed. Goldreich, p. 217; see also Gottleib, Studies, p. 

235. 

90. Deuteronomy 11:22. 

91. Deut 10:20. 

92. Deut. 4:4. 

93. Ed. Goldreich, p. 89. 

94. MS. Paris, Seminaire Israelite de France 108, fol. 95a, 
and compare MS. Oxford 1943 British Library 768, fols. 190b- 
191a, and ibid., 771/2. MS. Paris 108 contains sections from both 
Menrat l Einayim (see fol. 92a), and an anonymous work of Abu- 
lafia (fol. 82a-89a). The forming of the letters of the Name with 
colors, while connecting matter to Sefirdt, appears as well in MS. 
Sasson 919, p. 229, which also includes material from the circle 
of R. Isaac of Acre. 



95. There is no doubt that R. Isaac of Acre's remarks 
were influenced by Maimonides' understanding of providence in 



Guide, 111:51, albeit his intellectual approach was given a magical 
significance. 

96. The circle used by Abulafia in his technique turns 
afterwards into a subject revealed in his vision. 

97. H. Corbin, Creative imagination in the Sufism of Ibn Arabi 
(London, 1970), p. 234, n. 41-42. 

98. MS. Oxford 1582, tot. 62a. 

99. ibid., fol. 63a-b. 

100. Ibid., fol. 12b. 

101. Abulafia, p. 170. 

102. MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 12b. 

103. See G. Ben- Ami Zarfati, "Introduction to Baraita de- 
Mazalot" [Hebr.l, Bar Ilan; Sefer ha-Sdndh, 3 (1968), p. 67 and note 
34. This division appears in many places in medieval literature; 
see Wertheimer's Bate), Midrasot, II, p. 26, and the comments of 
Abraham Epstein, Mi-Qadmotuydt ha-Ychudim Qerusalem, 1957), p. 
82 Abulafia himself also used this distinction in his anonymous 
work in MS. Sasson 290, p. 235, and in 'Osdr c Eden Ganuz, MS. Ox- 
ford 1580, fol. 81a. It is worth noting that the concept of "forms 
(surdt), which appears in the section quoted from Hayyey ha-'Oldm 
ha-Ba>, means "constellations"; see I. Efrat, Jewish Philosophy in the 
Middle Ages, II, p. 93-94 [Hebr.] 

104. MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 61a. 

105. Idel, Abraham Abulafia, p. 131. 

106. Published by Scholem in Qiryat Sefer, 22 (1945), p. 

161. 



107. Ibid., p. 165. 



108. Berdkot, fol. 55a. 



109. Sanhedrin, fol. 65b. 

110. Vr ha-Sekel, MS. Vatican 233, fol. 109a. 

111. Hayyey ha-Oldm lia-Ba>, MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 51b; Sc- 
holem, Abulafia, p. 210. English translation taken from Scholem, 
Major Trends, pp. 136-137. From this text, Ch. G. Nauert, Agrippa 
and the Crisis of Renaissance Thought (Urbana, 111., 1965), p. 289, n. 
7, concludes that there may have been some connection between 
Abulafia and Agrippa, although at present there is no evidence 
to support such an opinion. Compare the words brought in the 
name of R. Elijah of London, quoted below in n. 129. 

112. MS. New York, JTS 1801, fol. 9a; MS. British Library 
749, fol. 12b. 

113. MS. Jerusalem 8° 148, fols. 71b-72a. This is the source 
for the description in Sullam ha-'Aliyah of R. Judah al-Botini; See 
Scholem, Kabbalistic Manuscripts, pp. 226-227. The language is 
more similar to Sa<arey Sedeq than to Hayyey ha-'Oldm ha-Ba', as 
thought by Scholem, ibid., n. 5, even though Abulafia's book 
greatly influenced the quotation from Sullam ha-'Aliydh. 

■ 

114. Hayyey ha-'Oldm ha-Ba>, MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 51b; 
Scholem, Abulafia, p. 210; and Sefer Sullam ha-Aliyah, printed in 
his Kabbalistic Manuscripts, p. 227. The motif of the "white gar- 
ments" appears in a number of texts connected with the recita- 
tion of the Divine Name. The recitation of the Ineffable Name 
is described in a work entitled Simus Rison le-girsat ha-Sefdrim )w- 
Hisdniim, MS. Bologna, University No. 2914, fol. 55a. Among the 
actions which precede this recitation are immersion in a ritual 
bath, fasting, and wearing white clothes. See also the ceremony 
of creating the golem in the section quoted by Scholem, On the 
Kabbalah, p. 185. Compare his words quoted in the name of R. 
Elijah of Londres (London) in MS. Sasson 290, p. 381: 



When you wish....to make your question, rum your heart from all 
other involvements, and unify your intentions and your thoughts to 
enter Pardes. Sit alone in awe, wrapped in tallit and with tefiUin 
on your head, and begin [to recite] 'Miktam le-Dawid' [Fs. 16], the 
entire psakn....and read them with their melodies. 

115. Vr ha-Sekel , MS. Vatican 233, fol. 109a. 

116. Hayyey ha-'Olam ha-Ba>, MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 52a; 
Scholem, Kabbalistic Manuscripts, p. 227. 

117. M. Bowers - S. Glasner, "Autohypnotic Aspects of 
the Kabbalistic Concept of Kavanah," Journal of Clinical and Ex- 
perimental Hypnosis, 6 (1958), pp. 3-23. The authors rely almost 
exclusively upon the material appearing in G. Scholem on Abu- 
lafia and his disciples, and also analyze phenomena pertaining 
to the Hekaldt literature and to M. H. Luzzatto. It should be noted 
that the assumption that the ecstatic situation of the "descenders 
to the Merkdbah" is the result of self-hypnosis already appears in 
the article by Yitzhak Heinemann, "Die Sektenfrommigkeit der 
Therapeuten/' MGWJ, 78 (1934), p. 110, n. 1. 

118. On the sensation of heat among various mystics, see 
C. Rowland, "The Visions of God in Apocalyptic Literature," 
Journal for the Study of Judaism, 10 (1979), p. 141, and n. 10. 

119. Hayyey ha-Oldm ha-Ba>, MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 52a. 

120. MS. Paris - BN 680, fol. 293a. 

121. MS. Jerusalem 8° 148, fol. 73a. 

122. MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 53a. 

123. Song of Songs 5:10. 

124. Ibid., v. 2. 



125. M. Laski, Ecstasy, (New York, 1968), pp. 47 ff. 



126. See above, n. 117. 



127. Hayyey ha^Olam ha-Ba>, MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 52a. 

128. Sanhedrin, fol. 90b. 

129. Compare the things attributed to R. Elijah of London 
(see above, note 114), who writes, after what is cited there: 

Thereafter he should bow on his knees with his face to the east and 
say as follows.. ..and think of the Name which is written before him, 
but not utter it with his lips... .and the Name of four letters, which 
is divided on the perfection of the vocalization into 38 sections, and 
they are not to be pronounced, but he is only to direct his thoughts 
to them. (MS. Sasson 290, p. 381). 

And compare to MS. Sasson 919, p. 210: 

I, R. Isaac of Acre, felt in myself a great longing to gaze 
at the milui [i.e., the plene writing of each letter] of the Ineffable 
Name in all its ways, for I already knew that the ways of heh 
and waw four and four, thus, h fia hh hy w ww waw xvyw. But the 
first one has only one milui, thus, ywd. But now guard yourself 
and guard your soul lest you read the letters hhwyh, and do not 
read them, for whoever pronounces the Name by its letters as 
they are written has no portion in the World to Come. See this 
and ask your soul, but contemplate them. 

See also below, Ch. 3, pp. 304-305. 

130. R. Fulop-Miller, The Mind and Face of Bolshevism (Lon- 
don, New York, 1927), pp. 258-260. The author, who points out 
the origins of this movement in Mt. Athos in Greece, and sees 
a continuation thereof in hesychasm, which is likewise based 
upon the recitation of the name of Jesus, claims (p. 260) that the 
source of his approach ties in "Jewish Kabbalah/' but there is no 
proof for such a connection. 

131. Scholem, Major Trends, p. 145.